A Link Between Worlds
by ladyinquisitor93
Summary: Halien Greenleaf was just a young elven maiden who wanted nothing more than to fight for what was right. But when the dragon took the Lonely Mountain & her father turned away from the dwarves of Erebor and the people of Dale, Halien's true journey began. Follow her as she travels the lands & finds where she truly belongs in the world. Based off the Hobbit movies w/ actual dialogue.
1. Chapter 1

A Link Between Worlds

A Hobbit Fanfiction (based off the movie)

A Journey Begins...

"Father, is it time?"

Thranduil, great elven king of the Woodland Folk, looked down at his daughter. "Yes, it is time."

She spun around in joy and laughed, happy to finally be able to set foot outside of her woodland home of Greenwood again. Thranduil's daughter, Halien, had been designated as the ambassador of the elven folk and had gone on many a trip to Laketown, Dale, and Erebor, where much of their trade came from. Seeing his daughter so excited made the elven king smile, something that was very rare since his wife had died. Thranduil looked up as his son came into the room.

"All the preparations are ready, Father. You and Halien are ready to set out for Erebor."

"Thank you, Legolas." Halien said as her father simply bowed his head silently. She hugged her older brother and ran off to fetch her mare, Torwen.

Legolas and Thranduil followed closely behind her, happy to finally see her in such a good mood. Lately, she had been a bit gloomy as the realization that she may never be able to leave Greenwood again finally began to sit in her mind. News of her journey to Erebor with her father was like music to her ears. The thought of seeing Erebor once more sang in her mind and heart as they ached to be within the great halls of the Mountain King.

It was the year 2770 of the Third Age and Halien traveled with her father to Erebor, having begged him to let her go with him see the wonders of the city once again. The trades with the Men and dwarves had been slow lately, so Halien rarely got to go out the towns anymore.

Through the vast woods of Greenwood and through the Rhovanian plains, the young elf maiden and her father traveled to the greatest dwarven stronghold. They made their way around Dale and to the gates of Erebor where they were greeted by a group of dwarves. The dwarves led them into the throne room and introduced them to the king.

When her father, the Elven King Thranduil, met with King Thror, the young elf maiden saw his authority, but she also saw his greed. Thror was beginning to grow weary and mad from the greed festering in his heart. She stood next to her father when they bowed before the king, as well as his son and grandson.

"Thank you for seeing us, Thror, King under the Mountain." Thranduil told him. "You remember, my daughter, Halien?"

Halien bowed again to the king and smiled when his weathered face beamed with joy as she said, "It is wonderful to be back in your magnificent and wondrous halls. Dale is just as exciting; the markets are well known throughout Middle Earth and your people are so happy. You continue to prove that you truly are a great king."

Thror was pleased to hear her say this and beckoned her forward. Halien smiled and ran to embrace the king, having grown very close to the king and his family.

"It is so wonderful to see you again, Halien, my dear. We have missed you so." Thror said in a gruff voice as he hugged the elven princess.

"It is great to see you too, old friend." Halien said, beaming at him.

Thrain nodded when she looked up and smiled at him, then turned to bow her head respectfully to Thorin, Thrain's son and Thror's grandson.

"Halien, will you excuse us? There are things the king and I must discuss." Thranduil said.

"Of course, Father." Halien replied, and then bowed to Thror, Thrain, and Thorin, before she turned and left.

Halien went to the outer wall of the fortress that protected Erebor and stared out over the lands towards Dale and smiled.

"It's so beautiful…" Halien said to herself. Being out like this, in the open lands, was just as thrilling as the first time she had set foot out into Greenwood alone. She was still so used to the lush green woods of Greenwood, being able to run through the ever changing paths and ancient trees, free as a bird. A small breeze blew through the halls and a sweet, yet musky scent reached her nose. Her hair billowed around her face, her clothes moving slowly in the breeze.

Thorin came out behind her, saw her gaping at the view- dressed in a light blue tunic dress and soft leather pants with a pair of black boots that reached up to her knees- and chuckled. "You act as though you have never set foot in Erebor before."

Halien turned and looked at him. "I have missed this land very much. It has become like a second home to me, but with the trades slowed and my duty as ambassador not needed as much, it has been hard to come back. It is nice to see the beauty of your kingdom once more."

Thorin smiled. "It's not as beautiful as you. You are not like the other elves we have seen here." He pointed to her hair. "Your hair is like mithril and obsidian, your eyes like emeralds. I am still in awe of your elven beauty each time I see you."

Halien blushed and bowed to the young heir. "You flatter me, sire."

"I simply do my best. Such flattery is necessary with someone of your grace and beauty. Now, would you care to see the rest of Erebor?" Thorin asked her.

Halien smiled and nodded. "Lead on, my prince."

Thorin laughed. "Then, come. Look upon the grandeur of Erebor once more."

Halien nodded and followed him back into the halls of Erebor. She was pleased to get to see the hospitality of dwarves first hand as Thorin took her through endless halls and rooms, showing her the mines, the forges, where they sorted through metals and gems, the armory, everything that he thought would be interesting to her. It seemed as though they spent hours together, Thorin showing her nearly every inch of Erebor. He smiled as she spun in circles, gazing up at the vast columns and stonewalls. Halien climbed up onto a stone pillar and held onto a nitch as she gazed out of the vastness of the halls.

"This is incredible! Your home is much bigger and grander than I remember!" she exclaimed.

Thorin's smile grew bigger as she stayed there for a moment to take it all in. "You are quite the climber. Do you have an excellent view of things from up there?"

"Aye, the view is amazing from here." she replied. "I like to spend more time than my father would allow climbing the trees of my homeland and scouting our borders. I know every inch of Greenwood and could lead you safely through it with my eyes closed."

"Perhaps one day you can show me your home."

Halien looked down at him and smiled. "It would my pleasure, sire." She watched as another dwarf, Balin, called to Thorin and beckoned for Halien to follow them. Halien nodded and slid down the stone pillar, limber as a cat, hugged Balin- telling him how much she had missed him- and they made their way back to the throne. Thorin took his place by his grandfather's side and a dwarf brought out a chest that gleamed like starlight when it was opened. Halien, standing by her father, watched as her father's eyes widened and he cautiously approached the chest, reaching out to it slowly before it was slammed shut. Thranduil looked up at Thror and Halien knew, instantly, that something was wrong. Thorin looked at his grandfather, not understanding what was happening either, and then back at Thranduil.

"Father?" Halien asked as Thranduil turned away to leave.

"We are leaving, Halien." he said.

"But, Father..." she tried to protest, begging him silently to explain.

"Halien, we are leaving." Thranduil repeated, his voice cold.

Halien felt tears in her eyes as she tried to reach out to her father with her mind, only to be met with an icy barricade that startled her so much she stumbled backwards. She turned back to the line of Durin and bowed. "I am sorry, your majesties, if we have offended you or upset you in any way. Thank you for your most generous hospitality." She saw the confusion in Thorin's eyes, as clear as her own. He started to move towards her and Halien heard him silently begging her not to leave, to help him figure out what was going on, but she could not. Her father called to her one final time- his tone even colder than the barricade in his mind- and with one last look at Thorin, the tears in Halien's eyes slipped silently down her cheek, for she knew that the alliance was finished and that she would never again be able to leave Greenwood and come back to Dale and Erebor, to gaze upon its grandness again and even worse, that she may never see Thorin again.

"I am sorry..." she whispered and turned on her heel and hurried to catch up to her father. Behind her, she heard him calling her name, sensing his father, Thrain, stopping him as he made to run after them.

"Let her go, Thorin." she heard him say to his son. "What is done is done."

Halien tried to wipe away the tears as she reached her father, still sensing Thorin's confusion- mirroring her own- and the rage that seemed to brew like a tempest inside her father.

They left the land behind and journeyed back to Greenwood. Halien tried to ask her father why things had happened the way they had, but all Thranduil would say was that the dwarves had stolen from them the treasures of the mountain, refusing to return it. Sighing, her heart aching to go back to the great kingdom, Halien watched as the Lonely Mountain grew ever smaller in the distance.

Some months later, word came from Erebor that Dale was under attack and they needed reinforcements. Thranduil and the elven army he commanded hurried to assist the dwarves, Halien riding at his side. When they reached the city limits, Halien saw the fires burning the lands, the now ruins of Dale alight with a fierce blaze. It was dragon's fire. She watched as the dwarves fled Erebor, smoke billowing from the great doors. Halien was in shock, for they had just been there not too long ago, then she watched as her father looked away from Erebor and chose to forsake the alliance that they forged with the dwarves. In the distance, she could hear Thorin calling out to them for help and she could hear his fear in his thoughts. They were overwhelming and made her feel helpless.

"Thorin…" Halien whispered. She looked to her father, but he turned his head away from the blazing scene below. "Father, we cannot leave them! They need our help!" she called as her father steered the large elk back towards Greenwood.

"I will not risk the lives of our kin to save them. I will not endure the wrath of the dragon." Thranduil said.

"You cannot do this!" she cried.

Thranduil stopped, smacking her across the face. Her brother, Legolas, stopped and stared in fear for his sister. "I am your father, and more importantly, your king. You will not disobey me again."

Halien felt anger rising as tears fell from her eyes, a trickle of blood sneaking out of the corner of her lips. "You are not my king…" she said, a sudden venom to her words as she fought the urge to strike him back. "My king would honor his alliances, no matter what the cost. If you will not honor the alliance, then I will, as is my duty as the ambassador of our people."

She turned away, but her father said, "If you go to help them, you will not be welcome back into Greenwood."

"It is our duty, Father, to honor our alliances. If we cannot do this one thing, the dwarves will hate us forever. Whatever the case is on the treasure you say they stole from us, I know that the Durin line is strong and must endure. I will see to it that the people of Erebor and Dale are safe and can find new homes. If that means that you cast me out, so be it. I will not abandon them to the dragon." she said. With one last look at her father and brother she said, "After what happened to Giliath and Gweran, you should be ashamed of yourself for denying these innocent people aid. That dragon took them from us and I intend to see that these people do not suffer the same fate that they did." Halien turned away and with that she urged her mare onward to the burning lands.

Without another look, she made her way through the winding hills and boulders to help anyone she could. She rode as fast as Torwen could carry her and she searched and searched, looking for any signs of Thorin or his family. There was nothing and she helped as many people escape to safety as she could before she continued to search. No matter how hard she tried, she could not find anything. But that did not stop her.

Forty years went by and Halien Greenleaf found herself in the Blue Mountains. She had been traveling the lands, going from village to village and helping the dwarves of Erebor and their kin, and any others that need it along the way. She had stopped this time in the village she later found out that Thorin and those that were closest to him had built and resided within.

As Halien went about the streets, asking directions to the inn, she heard someone crying out in pain. She rushed in the direction it had come from, dismounted from Torwen's saddle and hurried inside what looked like a healer's hut. She saw an elderly dwarf laid out on the table that stood in the center of the main room, a few others gathered around him as they tried to help him.

Turning at the sound of her entering, one of the dwarves asked her what she was doing there.

"Please, I can help." She said, approaching the table.

Two of the dwarves, guards by the looks of it, stood in her way with their weapons drawn and at the ready.

"There is no time for this! Please, I have healing abilities that could save his life!"

The healers looked at each other, then nodded and instructed the guards to let her through, unsure if they could trust her or not. Halien went through the guards and to the table, running her hands above the length of the elder dwarf's body.

"Tell me what has happened." She asked the dwarf across from her.

"An Orc party came too close to our borders and he was injured in the battle that ensued. His patrol party managed to drive them back and there is no sign of them retuning, but the Elder may die of his wounds."

Halien nodded and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She breathed out slowly and opened her eyes. She focused her magik into the tips of her fingers and willed it to flow from her and into the elder's body. The dwarves stepped back and watched in awe as the Elder's cries of pain ceased and he went still, a soft blue glow from the magik emanating from Halien's fingertips. After a while, Halien stumbled back and steadied herself on a column that supported the ceiling. The dwarves looked from her to the Elder and gasped in surprise as the Elder opened his eyes and sat up.

"How did you do that?" one of them asked.

"I possess a healing magik that uses my own energy in order to heal any ailment, wound, and nearly every sickness known to our world. I have mastered it thus far, but there is much still I have to learn. I have been traveling the lands trying to do just what I did for your Elder in other villages." She explained.

The dwarves thanked her and the Elder looked at her. He thanked her and introduced himself as Fisil Zirak, an Elder of the Council that Thorin discusses all matters with, the Council that Balin was a part of, as Halien found out. The other dwarves introduced themselves as Malonna and Neana Zirak, sister cousins of Fisil the Elder, and Tanar, Tusur, and Gusur, sons of Migan Stonehelm. Tanar was the other healer and Tusur and Gusur were the guards that had tried to stop Halien from approaching the table. Halien bowed her head as Tusur and Gusur apologized for stopping her before.

"I am Halien Greenleaf. And do not worry; it is understandable. Tensions will always run high between elves and dwarves, but I am glad that you allowed me to heal Elder Fisil. I should go, though, I fear I have over stayed my welcome here."

"No, dear, you are welcome to stay," Neana said. "We are grateful for you saving our cousin's life and we are indebted to you. Halien, we would love it very much if you could stay and perhaps teach us what you know of healing."

Halien smiled. "If you will have me, then I shall teach you what I can."

The dwarves thanked her and welcomed her to stay with them in their hut. Halien accepted and soon settled in, wondering what the time she spent in the village would bring her way.

Some weeks had gone by and Halien had definitely began to build her name in the village. Everyone knew of the elf maiden who saved the life of Elder Fisil and they had seen for themselves the abilities of healing that she possessed. Nearing the end of first month that she had spent in the village, Halien decided to go to the market to fetch some more herbs for the healers. She had already taught them everything she knew about healing that did not relate to her magik, as it was something that only she could do, and it was nearly time for her to move on to another village.

As she browsed the wares of the market, searching for the necessary herbs. She had already gathered those that could only be found in the forests and moors that surrounded the village and showed the healers where to find them, but they needed a few more that could be found at the market. As she finished her errands, she began to head back to the hut when she was stopped by someone calling her name.

"Lady Halien, could you come with me? One of our students broke their wrist and it needs to be looked at quickly." The dwarf said and Halien nodded, following him to the training school that had been built.

There was a loud wail as one of the teacher's tried to set the wrist and Halien saw a young boy sitting on the ground. It was the one who had broken his wrist.

"Ease up there, lass. Don't press so hard on the fracture." Halien said, setting aside her basket and kneeling in front of the boy. "Let me help."

She gently took the boy's wrist and focused her magik into setting the bone like she had done to close Elder Fisil's wounds. "Tell me your name, lad."

"Dorin, miss." He replied.

"I am Halien. Now, how did you break your wrist?"

"Huldor and I were sparring and he smacked my wrist really hard." The boy tried to explain through the pain.

Halien nodded and understood, but continued to ask the boy questions to keep him busy and his attention focused on the answers instead of the pain. After a few minutes, the wrist was set, the fractured bones were mended, and Halien smiled at the young boy.

"Your wrist will be fine. Just give it a few days before you spar again, understand?" she told him. She smiled when he nodded and hugged her in thanks.

Halien said her goodbyes to the children and went back home to the healers' hut with her herbs. She presented the remaining herbs to the healers and was very surprised to find a guest waiting for her.

"Hello, lass. I'm Bofur."

It had been a few years since Halien had come to the village. She had built a name for herself as a healer and helped the other healers to learn new things and ways of healing that she had used to help the Elder Fisil. She had been asked to train the children by a dwarf named Bofur, who had seen her skills once before, and agreed to help him and the other dwarves to train the children.

A day or two after she had been asked to train the children of the village, Halien had moved into the spare room that Bofur had in his home and had really become part of the family. She began to grow close to him and his brother, Bombur, and their cousin, Bifur, over the next year or two had passed. At one point, Bofur had asked if she could take a look at the axe embedded in his skull. Halien looked at his injury, using her magik to analyze the damage. Halien spoke to Bifur in ancient dwarvish. Bifur seemed to really enjoy hearing the dwarvish language spoken to him and he responded with great enthusiasm. She talked with him about how he got the injury, how it felt and if it was bothering him, and she told him that since it had been embedded in his skull for so long, there was no way that she could remove it without hurting him further, even killing him. Bifur understood and Halien turned to his cousins.

"The axe has been in his head for far too long for me to safely remove it and not risk damaging his mind further or killing him. He is perfectly healthy otherwise, and as long as he can remain able to speak the ancient dwarvish language, he should be fine." She explained.

Bofur and Bombur nodded, thanking her for at least taking a look. Halien smiled and gasped as she was tackled by all of Bombur's children. They screamed and laughed as they grabbed her and pinned her to the floor, tickling her. The dwarves laughed as Halien tickled the children right back. Halien sat up when the children went to go wash up for dinner and she began to wonder if she had finally found a home that she could call her own. She had been in this village of the Blue Mountain for nearly six years and she was beginning to feel as much at home as she had once felt in Mirkwood with her people. Sighing, Halien knew that only time would tell her if she should stay or if she should move on to the next village.

"Halien, I can't do it!" the child said.

Halien smiled, gave a final instruction to some of the older children as they sparred with each other, and came over to help. "You have to raise your arm like this," she explained, gently lifted the boy's arms into the correct position. "Now, relax your shoulders."

The boy nodded and relaxed.

"Very good, Dorin. Now, aim for the red dot. Outstretch your finger," she said, lightly tapping his pointer finger, "then line it up with the center of the dot."

Dorin did as he was instructed.

Off to the side, Dwalin, Balin, and Thorin were coming around the corner, discussing the topics of their council meeting and Thorin stopped when he saw the training session going on. Thorin walked over to the fence and crossed his arms, trying to see what would happen. He had yet to recognize the instructor.

"Good, Dorin, now take a deep breath, keep your shoulders relaxed and gently pull back on the bowstring." Halien instructed. "Very good, now I want you to anchor your thumb to the base of your ear and when you are ready, release the arrow."

Dorin did as was instructed as Halien stood and stepped back. Thorin watched as the boy took a deep breath and let the arrow fly and laugh when the arrow struck the very center of the target.

"I did it, Halien! I did it!" the boy said, running to the elf.

"Excellent work, Dorin. You may yet become a far better archer than I." she said with a smile, ruffling the boy's hair.

Thorin felt a smile creep at his lips, but he realized the name the boy had spoken and looked at the instructor. He could see she was tall, like an elf, and the name sounded so familiar. Then, when she lowered her shawl to wipe her brow, Thorin's eyes widened. Beside him, Balin spoke her name in surprise.

"Halien!"

Halien looked up, her eyes wide at the sight of the older dwarves. Dorin turned and bowed to Thorin, before he walked up to him.

"Look, sire." He said to Thorin, pointing to the arrow he shot. "Halien taught me how to shoot an arrow. I hit the middle and it was my first try!"

Thorin smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "I saw, young one. You are an excellent shot. Be sure to practice, we may have use for your natural skills in the future."

"I will. But I have a good teacher, too!" Dorin said with a smile. He turned and hurried over to Halien, grabbing her by the hand.

Halien was still in a bit of shock seeing Thorin and the other two there, but she let Dorin lead her over to them. As she bowed to Thorin, she fought the urge to run and embrace him. She had not seen him since the day Smaug came and she saw his figure in the distance, fleeing the main gate of Erebor.

"It has been a long time, my lord. I am glad to see you in one piece after what happened at Erebor." She said.

"I am surprised to see you here, Halien, daughter of Thranduil." Thorin said, noticing Halien wince as he spoke her father's name like it was poison. "I would ask what business you have here, but I see that you are working with the children."

Thorin saw the other children stop their practice and turn to look at what was going on. Everyone knew that Thorin hated elves, but this was the first time since Halien had come to their village that she had actually interacted with the dwarf prince. They all seemed to be worried and had gathered around her.

"Lady Halien, is everything alright?" one of the younger children asked. She knew who Halien was and had often asked her to tell her tales of Greenwood.

"Yes, Moira. I am fine. Our dear king here was just saying hello."

The children bowed to Thorin and clustered around the elf maiden.

Thorin had never before seen such a sight and was surprised at how protective of Halien they seemed to be. Behind them, Bofur came out to meet them and stood next to her as he bowed to Thorin and said hello to Balin and Dwalin.

"How have you fared of late, Halien?" Balin asked.

Halien smiled, a sort of sadness hidden behind it. "I have fared as well as one might expect under the circumstances."

Balin smiled and nodded while his brother stood there with his arms crossed, in a guarded stance. "It is good to see you, lass, even with what happened. I am glad that you have been well. Thorin," he said, looking to his prince. "We should hurry or we will be late."

Thorin nodded and Halien bowed one last time to him. "It was a pleasure to see you once more, sire. I wish you well." Though she tried, Halien couldn't resist anymore and pulled the dwarf king into her arms. "I have missed you so, Thorin Oakenshield. I am so glad to see that you are alright." She said, then she hugged Balin and bowed her head in respect for Dwalin, knowing he did not like hugs. She bid them a farewell and turned to walk back towards the school house, Bofur close behind with the children still clustered about her.

Thorin watched as Halien laughed with the children and glanced back to see him still standing there.

'What is she thinking? How can she embrace me like that after what her father did? How could she think that everything would be the same?' he thought to himself.

Halien left Bofur and the children and went across the street to the open stable stalls and pressed her forehead against her mare's.

"I finally found him, Torwen…" she said to the mare. "Things may not be the same as before, but Thorin is safe and well. I can sleep easy now."

The mare whinnied and Halien turned to glance back at Thorin and saw in his eyes something peeking through, trying to resurface. Halien felt her chest tighten as she realized that it was hope.

Later that night, Halien went to put the equipment away. As she gathered up the training gear and went about organizing it, she sang softly to herself. Outside, Thorin had decided to go for a walk around the village and was passing by the school house as Halien was singing to herself. He stopped to listen, having never heard something as beautiful as her voice, and decided to go and talk to her.

Halien busied herself with polishing the swords and armor, then made sure that each of the weapons and armor pieces were in their correct spots. She had been so busy with putting everything away and singing to herself that she didn't notice when Thorin had come into the room and stood with his shoulder against the doorframe. She walked around the room, picking up anything that had been left out after the children had left, and when she stood back up after bending over to pick up a book, she noticed Thorin.

"Sire, how long have you been there?" she asked, a little shocked to see him.

"Only a little while. I heard you singing and thought I'd come speak with you. That is if you are not busy?" Thorin replied.

Halien smiled and shook her head. "It's alright, sire. What is that you need?" she asked, grabbing a few more of the texts to put back on the shelf.

"I wanted to see how you have been these past years. We missed you in Erebor and when you left without another word last I saw you, I feared I would not see you again."

Halien smiled at him and replied, "I have been well, sire. I have been traveling the lands, helping those I could, and while I was exiled from Greenwood for defying my father and returning to help the Men and dwarves escaping the dragon's fire, I have found a purpose still as I aid those that cross my path."

"You came back?" Thorin asked.

Halien stopped in her tracks and looked at him. "Of course, I did. I take my duties very seriously. As the ambassador and the princess of my people, it was my duty to honor the alliance our peoples built. My father would not risk our soldiers to the dragon's wrath, not after what happened with a very close friend of the family's." She said, a sadness hanging in her voice.

"Why didn't you stop your father, then, if it was your duty?" Thorin asked, a sudden harsh tone in his voice. "When we came to your lands, seeking refuge and aid, where were you? Why weren't you there to stop your father from turning us away?"

Halien stared at him. He had gone from friendly and concerned to suddenly angry. "Thorin, my father had exiled me when I tried to return. I have not seen my family or my people in nearly forty five years."

"You should have been there, Halien!" Thorin retorted, his anger growing and his hatred for her father and her kind showing. "You could have stopped all of it, yet instead you are off gallivanting about doing your so called duties."

Halien had come to stand in front of Thorin and glared down at him. "Thorin, I was out there, helping **_your_** people! I came back to help the people of Dale and Erebor! I led those I could to safety!"

Thorin glared at her. "I did not see you anywhere that my people had gone. I had not heard word of an elf wandering the lands, healing and aiding those in need." He said, spitting the word "elf" as it said it with such hate. "I had not heard anything of the sort until you spoke of it today. How can I trust that you were helping my people when your father did nothing to aid us and turned us aside, ignoring our suffering?"

Halien had had enough. She raised her hand, balled it into a fist, and punched him. "I am not my father, Thorin Oakenshield. I have never done anything, not even once, to make anyone think that I am. How can you even think that of me? After all that we have been through? Did my time in Erebor with you and your family mean nothing to you?" she retorted.

Thorin looked up and gaped at her, shocked that she had punched him- even more shocked at the force behind it- and saw tears slipping from her eyes. He didn't know what to do or say and didn't bother stopping her as she ran passed him and disappeared into the darkness.

'What have I done…?' Thorin asked himself, a sudden rush of guilt washing over him. Halien had done so much for his family and for his people and she did not deserve the hatred and anger he had thrown at her. He had only lashed out and tried to blame her because it was **_her_** father that had betrayed the dwarves of Erebor and abandoned the people of the Rhovanian Plains. He turned and ran after, but when he got outside, Halien was nowhere to be found.

Halien ran as hard as she could to reach Bofur's house. She gathered her things and went to the door, opening it silently. She looked behind her, feeling guilty, but she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Bofur." She whispered.

Halien closed the door silently and walked away from the house and to the stables. Torwen, her mare, was excited to see her again, but could sense that it was their time to move on again and stepped out of her stall.

Mounting into her saddle, Halien faced Torwen away from the village and urged her forward. Torwen cantered away from the village and as they got further and further away, Halien turned and looked back, her heart heavy in her chest.

"I'm so sorry…"


	2. Chapter 2

It was sixty years since the fire-drake, Smaug, had taken Erebor and burned the city of Dale to ash. It was the year 2941 of the Third Age- in the early spring- and Thorin Oakenshield had gathered his companions and started a long journey and quest to reclaim their home, with the aid of the great wizard, Gandalf the Gray.

Gandalf walked with a large number of dwarves, accompanied as well by the young elf maiden, Halien. She walked in silence, standing nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with the wizard.

"Halien, my dear, are you alright? Will you be able to handle being in the company of Thorin? It has been quite some time since you last saw him." Gandalf asked as they approached Bilbo Baggins' home.

The elf nodded. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as it slipped out from underneath her shawl. Her hair tended to be a distraction, so she wore a shawl to try and hide it away. She smiled as Bofur beckoned to her, asking if she was alright. She nodded and she realized how comfortable she truly was with some of the dwarves, having known them for a time some years before, but she had not seen Thorin since the day she had left the Blue Mountains. She smiled when they reached the door into the hobbit hole and the dwarves knocked, all of them falling upon each other when the door was pulled open.

"Oh, Bombur..." she said and helped pull the dwarf off of his kin, her shawl falling off of her head.

Looking up, the elf saw the hobbit standing there in dismay, completely confused until he saw Gandalf.

"My, have you grown, Bilbo." she said, lowering her shawl.

Bilbo looked at her, recognizing her. "Halien! You're the elf that came through the Shire when I was a lad. I would remember that unusual hair of yours anywhere." he said, a playful smile on his lips as she lowered her shawl.

Halien nodded and hugged him. "It has been a long time, Bilbo. You aren't the adventurous tyke you were. And besides," she added, "What's wrong with my hair? It makes me unique does it not?"

Bilbo smiled and was glad to see a familiar face- other than Gandalf's. He welcomed them in, begrudgingly, and watched in horror as the dwarves raided his pantries. Halien pulled her shawl back up and stood out of the way. They passed the food around, brought out the dishes and began to sit at the table to eat and drink.

While she watched the dwarves enjoy themselves, Halien took out a small book from her pack and a charcoal stick- a specially made charcoal that didn't smear. She sat off to the side, by herself, and began to draw the dwarves and Gandalf, all of them together. Halien had always had an artistic side to her- she was a great storyteller, a great singer, and she was very skilled in various forms of art: drawing, painting, and the likes. She began to accurately sketch the dwarves and Gandalf, having a clear view of each of them. Bofur looked over and smiled when he saw her concentrating on her drawing. He always saw her sketching in her book. It was a small book, but she had to have made several dozen drawings in it already.

After some time, the dwarves finished eating and began to clean up. As they did, Kili- one of the brother dwarves- began to sing about Bilbo's dishes. The others joined in- including Halien- and started to toss the dishes back and forth to each other until they were all stacked together and completely clean, unharmed much to Bilbo's surprise. Everyone laughed and at that point, there was a knock at the door and Gandalf was the one to answer it.

Thorin Oakenshield was the person waiting outside and when he entered, he looked up at the wizard.

"Gandalf." He said. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice, and I'd have not found it at all if not for the mark on the door."

"There is no mark on that door, it was painted a week ago!" Bilbo said.

"There is a mark, I put it there myself." Gandalf replied. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin handed his cloak to one of the dwarves and crossed his arms. "So this is the Hobbit." Circling around him, Thorin took a good look at Bilbo. "Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" he asked. "Axe or sword? What is your weapon of choice?"

Bilbo, bewildered for a moment, replied, "Well, I do have some skill in conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant."

Thorin scoffed. "Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

The other dwarves laughed at the joke, but Halien wasn't pleased.

"Is this how the great Thorin Oakenshield treats his hosts?" She said and stood.

"Why is an elf here?" Thorin retorted, turning to look at her and knew she was an elf by her height and her slender body. He was clearly not happy to see her.

"Halien is an ally." Gandalf explained. "She has an incredible healing gift- among other gifts that she possesses- and she is a very skilled warrior, which will be a great and necessary addition to our company." When Thorin glared at him, he continued, "You would be wise not to toil with her nor send her away."

Thorin looked at Halien, as if he recognized the name. Halien lowered her shawl and bowed, her eyes to the ground. Thorin's eyes widened, but he said nothing as her braid fell over her shoulder, the mithril and obsidian strands neatly woven together. When she stood up straight, Thorin glared at her and went to the table to eat his portion of the meal made. As he ate, he and the other dwarves discussed their plans for the quest with Gandalf as he took out an old map. Behind them, Halien had finished her sketch and smiled contently, despite her encounter with the dwarf king. She was pleased with her work and placed it off to the side, still open. Halien stood and stretched as she left the dwarves to themselves and went to check on their mounts.

"Hello, Torwen." Halien said and walked over to the mare. She put her forehead against the mare's and sighed. "We made it, girl, safe and sound. Now the real journey will begin. Though, this may be difficult with Thorin."

The mare whinnied and Halien rubbed the mare's neck. She glanced up to look at the moon, feeling the peaceful nature of the Shire, breathing in the sweet air. Through the window, Thorin caught a glimpse of her and watched as she checked the ponies, a warm smile upon her lips as the bright moonlight shined down on her from the cloudless sky. She had not yet brought her shawl back up over her hair, so it glistened in the moonlight, truly shining like mithril.

She was a beautiful elf, tall and slender, fair skin and emerald green eyes. Her hair was unique to only her- she had pure white hair that darkened to black at the tips- reminding him of mithril and obsidian. She wore her hair in a braid that draped down the length of her back and a silver headdress, simple but elegant, upon her brow. Her eyes glowed like emeralds, the reflection of the moon dancing in her eyes. She wore a short sleeved tunic, loose fitting and dyed a forest green that was made of light leather with a long sleeved and skin-tight shirt underneath, and leggings of the same material, a dark brown and slightly loose fitting for comfort and easy movement. She wore a long, fur lined cloak, closed together with an elven brooch- the one her mother gave her- and her shawl was a soft sage green that blended well with her cloak.

When she noticed that Thorin was watching her from the window, she bowed to him and returned to the horses. Thorin knew her name, her unique hair, and remembered the time he had spent with her. She was the elf princess he had known in Erebor for a short time, sixty years ago, and he had seen her once more in the Blue Mountains forty years after Erebor fell. He could never forget her elvish appearance, so unique and unusual. She was the daughter of the Elven King, Thranduil, and he thought her to be just like her father, but her respect for him- the same respect that she had shown him when they knew each other in Erebor, when they met again in the Blue Mountains, and even now- was strangely comforting, even with her being an elf and the daughter of the king who had betrayed them. He felt a familiar, warm sensation in his stomach, one that he had not felt in some time. He was not sure what it was, as it had quickly been replaced by an immense amount of guilt over the things he had said to her last they spoke, so Thorin returned to the conversation at hand.

They finished making their plans, and then Balin handed the contract to Bilbo. Halien came inside just as Bilbo read through the contract, then fainted when he read the part about "incineration".

"Bilbo!" Halien said as she rushed to his side, sliding onto her knees. "Bofur, what did you say?" she asked him.

"Why do you assume it was me?" he asked in defense.

"Bofur, you have a tendency to over-exaggerate things. You have to be careful what you say around people, especially those who are like Bilbo. He's too good natured and sheltered to be able to handle it without fainting like this."

The dwarves, in amazement and silence, watched as she placed her finger on his forehead. It began to glow as she spoke an elvish incantation and when the glow faded from her finger tips, Bilbo sat up abruptly. He looked around and sighed. Halien stood and helped him up, leading him to a chair.

She sat Bilbo down and summoned a ball of light in her hand and checked his eyes, making certain that he was fine. "I want you to follow the light in my hand. Good. You'll be fine, but you need to sit for a bit, Bilbo. Dori, could you make some tea for him? Chamomile with lemon and honey should suffice if Mr. Baggins has it. It will help to soothe his nerves and help him think clearly."

Dori nodded and headed to the kitchen. Halien stood, extinguishing the ball of light in her hand.

"Will he be alright?" Ori asked.

"Yes, but he will need to sit and relax. He reacted rather... oddly, to reading the contract." Halien explained. "I expect anyone who has not faced anything more than this wonderful peace here in the Shire would pass out at the mere thought of a giant fire drake turning them into a pile of ash." Leaving things at that, Halien took the cup of tea that Dori brought up to them and thanked him as she handed it to Bilbo. "Here, Bilbo. Drink this. It will soothe your nerves and help you think clearly. We will need you to give us an answer tonight before we leave. Drink the tea and take your time, alright?"

Bilbo nodded and took the cup of tea. Halien smiled and put a comforting hand on his shoulder before she went back to her pack. Thorin had stood next to it and noticed the drawing she had done earlier and had picked up her book to look at it.

"Sire?" Halien said, uneasy being near him. "Is there something that I can help you with?"

"This drawing is very well done. You captured my kin very accurately." Thorin said and handed the book to her. "They appear very happy in this drawing."

Halien stood there and sighed, holding her book close to her. As he walked away, Halien was surprised to receive such praise and put the book into her pack and gathered her things. She took Gandalf aside and told him that she was going to scout on ahead and make sure the road is safe to travel in the morning. Gandalf nodded as she left, but Bofur stopped her for a moment.

"Be careful, lass. Promise?" he asked.

Bofur and Halien had grown very close from the time that she had spent in his village. She had stayed in the Blue Mountains for nearly six years, teaching the healers new things about healing and working as a trainer for the children, teaching them how to use a wide variety of weapons. Halien hugged the dwarf and nodded, promising to be careful. Halien left the hobbit hole and searched the surrounding area of the Shire, leaving the dwarves to conclude their business with Bilbo.

The next morning, Halien rejoined the company. She came up next to Thorin, astride her mare, and gave him her full report.

"There was nothing in the woods, sire. The road ahead is safe while we remain in the Shire." she said.

"And beyond?" Thorin asked, curious to see how far she went.

"I scouted ten miles ahead along the road we are traveling, including in the surrounding areas. It remains safe and there is an excellent spot to make camp. We should arrive there just before nightfall." she assured him. "I will scout around again, once we reach the spot." Then, before she went on ahead, she stopped and looked at the dwarf king. "It is good to see you again, Thorin. No matter what has happened between us."

Thorin watched as she and Torwen trotted on ahead a ways, seeing her scan the area as they rode on. She was an excellent scout, as elves should be, but Thorin had heard tales of her skills as she passed from village to village, town to town, helping the dwarves and humans readjust to life after Erebor was taken and Dale fell. He was impressed with what he had heard over the years and saw a brief glimmer of her skill the day he had seen her again in the Blue Mountains, as she taught the young boy, Dorin, how to shoot an arrow. The boy made his first shot, dead center in the target, which told Thorin that Halien was indeed an excellent teacher.

Balin came up next to him and said, "You remember her, don't you? It has been twenty years since she was last in the Blue Mountains, yet she seems to be just as comfortable with each of us as she was then."

"Halien, daughter of Thranduil, princess of and once the ambassador of her people to those of Dale and Erebor. Yes, I remember her. I cannot say whether or not it brings me pleasure to see her again, but her skills are needed. I saw only a small bit of what she can do, having walked in on one of her training sessions with the children, but it was not enough for me to trust her skills and trust her to be good enough for this company."

Balin smiled. "I remember how you looked at her, the last time that she was in Erebor. You had the same look, briefly, when you saw her again in our village. It shall be interesting indeed to see how you two interact with one another."

Thorin remembered the short time he had spent with the elf and as he remembered, that warm sensation began to rise again. He remembered the day he had seen her training some of the older children, teaching them the ways of the sword, dagger, maul, axe, and archery. He had seen her move fluidly and gracefully as she patiently walked the children through each step of the different fighting styles. As he remembered seeing her, the warm sensation grew hotter and enveloped his whole body. He could not figure out what the feeling was, but it seemed to persist more and more the longer he thought of her. He chose to ignore it and put his mind back onto their journey.

They made their way several miles outside of the Shire and before long, they made their first camp after Bilbo had joined them. As promised, Halien left the company to scout the area, covering a six mile radius around their camp. When she returned, the dwarves were not prepared for it.

As she approached, she stepped lightly over a large branch as she came to the edge of the camp. An arrow was shot and struck her right shoulder. Next came a dagger, striking her in her left thigh, causing her to stumble back. Cursing, the young elf maiden came out of the bushes and pulled the arrow from her shoulder, wincing only a little and then pulled the dagger out, falling to one knee.

"By the ancestors! You trust me that little?" she asked, looking at Kili and Fili as they each bore a look of incredible guilt upon their faces. She closed her eyes tightly and grasped her wounds, trying to hide her pain.

"Halien will not bring us harm. Lower your weapons." Gandalf said.

Thorin watched Halien as she tried to hide her pain as she stood, unsheathing her bow and quiver.

All of the dwarves- Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, and Gloin- watched as Halien groaned in pain, her arm and leg bleeding as she fell to her knee again. Kili had put his bow and arrows aside and grabbed some bandages. Fili came to help, his guilt growing, but was stopped when Halien threw the dagger at his feet, embedding it in the ground and narrowly missing his big toe. Kili looked to make sure his brother was OK.

"Careful, lad, she's a good shot." Bofur told him.

"Best to keep your weapons close," she said, pain clear in her voice. Kili started to wrap her leg and arm, but Halien shook her head. "No need."

"You are wounded, elf. If you do not treat these wounds quickly, they will only get worse." he said, insisting.

"She has a name, Kili." Bofur said, slightly defensive over an old friend.

Halien smirked. "I said there was no need." Then she placed both of her hands on each of the wounds as they began to glow. Kili sat back, the bandages in his hands, and watched as the wounds closed and the bleeding stopped.

Standing, Halien stretched her leg and her shoulder, making sure everything was working. The dwarves stared at her in wonder- Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur simply smiled, having seen her use that power before in their village- as Kili stood and asked, "How'd you do that?"

Halien smirked. "It's one of my many talents." Leaving it like that, Halien went to her dappled gray mare.

Unsure what else to do, the dwarves went about their business, speaking with each other to pass some time, and Thorin stood watch. Gandalf and Bilbo smoked their Old Toby and Halien made sure that her horse was fed and rested. She pulled an empty sack from her saddle and went over to the large rock wall at the dwarves, climbing up the rock face to reach the top branches of a nearby fruit tree. She swung onto a branch and grabbed a few of the fruits. As she collected as many of the fruits as she could reach and placed them into the sack, the dwarves nearest her watched as she filled the sack. When she finished, she hung upside down and flipped out of the tree, sliding down the rock face and landing softly on the ground below. The dwarves watched her grace, which had Thorin impressed especially. It reminded him of the time she had climbed a pillar in the halls of Erebor to get a better look at its grandeur.

Halien walked over to her horse and offered her one of the fruits. "Here, Torwen, you have earned this."

The mare took the fruit and nudged her gently in thanks.

"You are a good girl, Torwen. Thank you for coming with me." Halien said, cooing to her mare.

Torwen was a gift to Halien from her brother, Legolas. When Halien reached an age where she was allowed to hunt on her own, Legolas presented her with the dappled gray mare since the usual steeds of their people didn't seem to favor her company much. Torwen was a filly at the time and Halien was still very young. Halien trained Torwen, raised her and took her everywhere.

Thorin watched as Halien stood, watching the moon, at the edge of their camp, her weapons at her side. A chill wind blew through the air and she pulled the cloak tight around her. It was not a night like the last she had spent in the village with the dwarves she had saved years ago. They had settled north of Erebor in the Weathered Heath, in the Grey Mountains. As she began to remember, she shuddered.

 _The flames were growing wilder and the land turning to ash around the town of Dale. Halien tried to help any and all dwarves and Men that she could. She searched for Thorin and his family, praying to the ancestors that they were safe. She could find no trace or sign of them, but she found one family who was trapped in their home and rushed to save them._

 _"_ _Please, anyone! Help us!" the woman called._

 _"_ _I'm coming!" Halien called back. "Where are you?"_

 _"_ _Over here!" came an answer._

 _Halien followed the voice to what looked like the living room. There she found a family of four: a mother, a father, and two sons. The father was trapped beneath a fallen beam and the sons were too young and weak to be able to lift it off of their father. Halien weaved her way through fallen beams and told the boys to stand back. She wedged her shoulders underneath the beam and with all her might, lifted the beam high enough for the boys to pull their father out. When the father was clear from the beam, Halien set it down and ushered the family outside._

 _Lucky timing, too, because as soon as they exited the house, it collapsed like every other building. The dwarven family looked in sadness as their home fell to ash and ruin, now homeless like everyone else._

 _"_ _We need to move," Halien said. "There will be time to grieve once we are free of the flames."_

 _The dwarves nodded, knowing that she was right. They followed her until they reached the rest of the city's people. Halien made sure that the dwarves were safe before she turned to leave._

 _"_ _Please, don't leave us!" the little dwarves said. The boys could not have been old enough to have reached puberty already, let alone wield a weapon._

 _"_ _You did us a great service, elf, one your kin did not earlier." the father said. "We saw them turn aside and leave."_

 _"_ _I feel ashamed for my father's abandonment of your people. That is why I returned to try and help your people, to honor the alliance we made long ago. I also hoped to find Thorin and his family safe as well." Halien replied._

 _"_ _We are ever grateful, young elf. I am Baldrick Grotsnev, son Darbli Grotsnev. These are my sons, Hadra and Hargrin, and my wife, Ethna." the father introduced his family. "I am certain that the young prince and his family got out safely."_

 _"_ _I am Halien, daughter of Thranduil, king of the elves of Greenwood. I am pleased to have been able to aid your family." she replied, bowing in respect to the dwarves._

 _"_ _Will you be returning to your father, then?" Ethna asked._

 _"_ _I do not think he would welcome me home with open arms after I defied his orders and embarrassed him in front of our people." Halien said._

 _"_ _Where will you go?" Hadra asked._

 _Halien placed a hand on the young dwarf's head. "I do not know, child. Perhaps I shall wander the wilds, aiding other dwarves and their families like I did yours."_

 _"_ _Please stay with us, Halien," Hargrin said. "We want you to teach us to become strong like you!"_

 _"_ _Yeah!" Hadra agreed._

 _Halien smiled. Never before had the dwarven people been so welcoming, except for their young prince._

 _"_ _The boys are right, Halien, daughter of Thranduil." Baldrick said. "You should stay with us and help teach the boys to be warriors. Help us train them to become stronger and be able to defend themselves should anyone or anything bad happen to us. Perhaps you will even find the young prince."_

 _"_ _I couldn't impose on your family like that, Baldrick." Halien replied._

 _"_ _I am not a soldier, nor am I a smith. I am a simple craftsman who whittles away at wood and makes furniture all day. I have no real talent beyond that and it would be an even greater service to our family if you could train our boys." Baldrick pointed out._

 _"_ _Besides," Ethna began, "We could give you warmth, food, and lodging in return. We do not have much coin to give you to repay you for saving us. Let us at least repay you in this way?"_

 _Halien sighed and nodded with a smile. "I would be honored to train your sons to become fine warriors."_

 _Hadra and Hargrin cheered and Ethna put a hand to her chest in relief as Baldrick pulled her in for a hug._

And so began a long and enduring bond. Halien shuddered, something dragging her from her memories.

"I wonder what that was all about." Bofur asked, seeing her shudder.

"She was there when Smaug came and destroyed Dale before taking Erebor." Gandalf said. "Perhaps the memories of it came back to her for a moment."

"No," Dwalin said. "We would have seen her."

"She was there, Dwalin. She went back, aiding those who needed it and getting them to safety. She found and helped the Grotsnev clan, saving their lives when she freed them from their burning home. They asked her to train their sons and in return, they took her in, giving her food and shelter." Gandalf explained to them as he looked back at Halien. "You, Thorin, and some of the others had seen her in your village in the Blue Mountains. She had left shortly after her last encounter with Thorin, and began to wander the lands again. I found her in Weather Hills, working for the head family there as a trainer for their children, much like she did for the Grotsnev clan and in your village."

"As in Master Baldrick Grotsnev? The carpenter?" Ori asked.

"Yes, Ori." Gandalf replied.

"She never mentioned anything about it." Bofur said, mostly to himself. He looked to Bombur, who shrugged, and to Bifur, though Bifur stared off like he usually did.

Behind them, the dwarves could hear Halien begin to sing softly to herself. "O môr henion i dhû: Ely siriar, êl síla. Ai! Aníron Undómiel. Tiro! Él eria e môr. I 'lîr en êl luitha 'úren. Ai! Aníron..."

As she sung, Gandalf translated the elvish hymn into the common tongue, "From the darkness I understand the night: Dreams flow, a star shines. Ah! I desire Evenstar. Look! A star rises out of the darkness. The song of the star enchants my heart. Ah! I desire..."

The dwarves looked at Gandalf, then back at Halien.

"It is a beautiful hymn of her people. It helps her keep close to her people from afar." Gandalf said, understanding how hard it was for Halien to leave her father and people behind to do what she thought was right.

Thorin watched as Halien unsaddled Torwen and placed the saddle on the log next to them. Torwen stretched her legs and neck before she lay down on the ground. Halien curled up against her mare, her head resting on Torwen's shoulder, and stared up at the stars. The sound of Orcs, however, ruined the peaceful night.

Bilbo, a little spooked, asked what the noise was. Kili began to tell him it was Orcs, that they would come and slit their throats in their sleep. When Bilbo shuddered, clearly spooked, Kili and Fili smirked and chuckled beneath their breath. Thorin was not pleased and asked if they thought a night raid by an Orc pack was a joke. Kili said that they meant nothing by it, but Thorin just scolded him and stalked off again. Balin began to explain to Kili what had happened to make Thorin hate the Orcs so much more than anyone could ever think. He told the tale of the Battle of Azanulbizar to reclaim Moria, to all who hadn't been there, and how Azog the Defiler cut the king's head off, throwing it to Thorin's feet. He spoke of how Thorin met the pale Orc in battle, only to be beaten done and when he had lost his shield, the only thing that saved his life was an oaken branch that he wielded as a replacement. He cut the pale Orc's arm off and forced him back into the depths of darkness he crawled from. He spoke of how Thorin led the final charge that ended the lives of many Orcs, defeating their enemy, though they did not retake Moria. He spoke of how when everything was over, only those in their current company were left standing with the rest of their kin- and their king- all of whom were dead. Then Balin spoke of how he knew, when he looked upon Thorin, that he had found a king that he would follow to the death.

"And the pale Orc?" Bilbo asked. "What happened to him?"

"That filth slunk back into the hole from whence he came. He died from his wounds long ago." Thorin said as he rejoined the others.

Bilbo thought he understood now, though he felt that there was still much to learn. Nori took the first watch and the others got as comfortable as they could, soon falling asleep. Halien had listened to the whole tale and knew that Thorin had faced more hardship and loss than just the fall of Erebor and the death of so many of his kin and people. She hoped that she could lift some of that burden from him and prove to him that he has one ally yet who will not betray him. Feeling the heaviness of sleep pulling her eyelids down, Halien closed her eyes and went to sleep. Gandalf laid back and lit his pipe, smoking his Old Toby. He watched as Halien slept, seeing how much she had grown since he last saw her.

Gandalf had met the young Halien when she was still very, very young, having passed through Greenwood on his travels. She, like so many other children, was fascinated by his magik. She would follow Gandalf everywhere any time he came to visit the elves of Mirkwood- as it had been so nicknamed since the days of Sauron. Gandalf grew fond of her, a large part of that being because she was the most adventurous and fearless of all the elf children. Thranduil often tried to keep her home and safe, learning to be elegant and proper like her older brother, Legolas, and the rest of her people. But Halien would not hear any of it. She went off on hunts alone with Torwen any chance she could, even before she was old enough by her people's standards, and she discovered that she possessed an ancient elven magik that was older than even Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn, the eldest of her people. She could heal, manipulate the elements around her, and she could read and control the minds of animals, people, and other things without a second thought. Halien knew, though, when it was proper to use that particular talent, so she mostly stuck with reading thoughts of other people and animals, trying to help everyone communicate. She often spoke with animals, finding more company with them than her own people.

Smiling to himself, Gandalf finished his Old Toby and went off to sleep himself.

The next morning, the dwarves had awoken to find a hearty breakfast awaiting them. Halien had taken over the last watch, Gloin having fallen asleep shortly before his had ended, and just as the sky began to light up, she had taken out some of the food from their packs- portioning it so that they did not run out too quickly- and started to cook.

"Well, would you look at that?" Bofur exclaimed, surprised to wake to sausages, potatoes, and some eggs with a few of the fruits that Halien had picked the night before and some bread and cheese.

"I took last watch, so I made you breakfast." Halien said, as she started to serve them the food. "I hope you don't mind, I did take some of the food from your packs to make this."

"Mind, of course we don't mind!" Fili said, nudging his brother awake. "Look, Kili, the elf made us breakfast!"

Kili sat up and looked at the meal Halien presented him with. He took the plate and thanked her. It seemed that the events of the night before- speaking strictly of them attacking her by mistake- did not bother her.

"Where'd you get the eggs?" Ori asked.

"There's a large nest up in that tree," Halien said, gesturing to the tree behind them as she handed Bilbo his plate. "I asked the mother if I could take some of the eggs for food and she reluctantly agreed. I think she only agreed because I asked her first, rather than just take them. I made sure to take the smaller ones, the ones that would not have a great of a chance to survive their first winter."

Ori nodded, though he was a little confused as to what she meant and felt bad for the little eggs.

Halien took two plates with her, giving one to Gandalf and offering one to Thorin. "Please accept this, sire." she said, placing the plate next to him on a rock. Sensing the tension still brewing, she left things at that and went over to Torwen, giving her one of the fruits.

Thorin looked at her, not sure what to think of her manners, but he took the plate and ate the food anyways, bowing his head in thanks. He was surprised at the fact that an elf knew how to prepare food other than the greens her vegetarian kin eat and he was impressed by the flavor. Halien smiled at that, hearing that thought pop into his head.

Gandalf smiled as he watched the dwarves wolf down their food, grabbing seconds and thirds for each other until the food was all gone.

"Why don't we clean up?" Bilbo said, "It's the least we can do to thank you for making breakfast."

The dwarves agreed and started to clean things up. Halien smiled in thanks to Bilbo, who nodded his head in acknowledgment. Leaving the dwarves to the cleaning, Halien went about getting the horses and ponies ready to continue their journey. She saddled Torwen and Gandalf's steed, then moved onto the ponies. She placed their bridles on and secured the packs to the saddles. She made sure the ponies and Gandalf's steed were fed and all of them watered.

"Elf." came a voice behind her.

Halien turned and saw Thorin standing there. "Yes?"

"I want to thank you, for cooking for us, it was kind of you to do after what happened last night." he started. "But I must ask: what do you think you are doing here? Why would you bother coming along after what has happened?"

Behind him, the others fell silent, watching to see what would happen.

Sensing his hostility, Halien gathered herself up and looked him straight in the eye. "I am here because Gandalf asked for my aid in this quest. I can heal, control the elements, read thoughts of people and animals, I can fight with a sword, axe, bow, and daggers- as you saw while I was training the children of **_your_** village in the Blue Mountains- and I am an excellent shot- which comes in handy with hunts."

Thorin was slightly taken aback by her forwardness, expecting her to be meeker than she presented her response, and he remained silent, so Halien continued.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you could stop doubting me so. I am not my father, nor will I ever become him." Halien said, advancing slightly, forcing Thorin to step back. "I left because I knew my father was wrong, but he was doing what was right for our people. He knows the burn of dragon's fire all too well, as do I, but he struck me when I defied him. I came back to Dale and helped your people escape the fires. I helped the Grotsnev clan out of their home, held up the fallen beam so that Hadra and Hargrin could pull their father, Baldrick, out from beneath it. They took me in and gave me a home when I chose not to return to my father's side. I trained Hadra and Hargrin, helped raise them into the warriors that they became. I watched as the other dwarves in our village brought back their corpses one day when they were killed by an Orc hunting party. I helped bury them and I watched as their poor mother, Ethna, cried her eyes out for days. I led the search for that Orc party and led the charge that slaughtered every last one of them."

The other dwarves could feel her anger, grief, sorrow, and fear radiating off of her as she spoke.

"I had to watch as Ethna succumbed to her grief and drowned herself. I helped Baldrick bury his wife alongside his sons and I watched as the strongest man I have ever met fell to his knees, weeping." Halien continued. "I had to watch as Baldrick eventually went mad with grief and wander off into the woods, never to be seen again. I led the search party that went to find him when he was missing for more than a fortnight and I was the one who had to pull him out of a marsh that he seemed to have fallen into. I had to bury him, not a month after Ethna died, with the rest of his clan, the Grotsnev line ending with him." She paused for a moment, trying to hold back the ensuing tears as best she could. "I couldn't bear to stay in the village any longer and I had to say goodbye to many friends and comrades, leaving Weathered Heath. I had nowhere else to go, so I went home to Greenwood, to my people, to my father to beg for forgiveness and my father did not welcome me. He turned me aside, called me an outcast. Even my own brother could not look me in the eye as my father banished me for disobeying him."

Stopping, Halien stood with her head down, her shoulders shaking. "I lost everything that day. My family disowned me and the only dwarves who accepted me wholeheartedly after what happened at Erebor were gone. I have tried to make up for what my father did to your people, traveling from place to place, only staying a few years and trying to help the dwarves of Erebor and the people of Dale over these past sixty years. You cannot imagine what I have had to go through just to get here, to find you and prove to you, Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, that elves are not the monsters you make us out to be, but that there are those who will honor their alliances and never abandon those they hold close to them as kin. I thought that perhaps if I could help more of the villages of your people, I could make you understand."

She looked at him, tears in her eyes brewing and threatening to fall freely down her cheeks. "Thorin, when I came to your village, your healers accepted my help as a Healer. They let me heal Elder Fisil Zirak and wished for me to teach them new things that they themselves could use when it was my time to move on. The children loved me, despite the stories that have been told of my people and my kin. They danced with me, laughed and asked me to play with them, and they loved it when I let them ride with me on Torwen's back. I took care of the children when their parents were away and then when I was asked to by Bofur, I helped to train them in the art of war and weaponry, in order to make certain that they could fight and defend themselves if something were to happen. I was loved in your village and did everything I could to earn and keep the trust of your people. When I thought that I finally had a chance, that I had maybe finally found a place I could stay in indefinitely, you came along. You scorned me, yet you saw how much your people accepted me. When I thought you were going to turn me away, send me away from the village as my father had done to me with my own home, I saw something in your eyes. It was hope. But then when you said what you had that same night, I couldn't bear to be near you any longer, so I left."

As she told the dwarf king this, she began to remember that day.

 _"_ _Halien, I can't do it!" the child said._

 _Halien smiled, gave a final instruction to some of the older children as they sparred with each other, and came over to help. "You have to raise your arm like this," she explained, gently lifted the boy's arms into the correct position. "Now, relax your shoulders."_

 _The boy nodded and relaxed._

 _"_ _Very good, Dorin. Now, aim for the red dot. Outstretch your finger," she said, lightly tapping his pointer finger, "then line it up with the center of the dot."_

 _Dorin did as he was instructed._

 _Off to the side, Dwalin, Balin, and Thorin were coming around the corner, discussing the topics of their council meeting and Thorin stopped when he saw the training session going on. Thorin walked over to the fence and crossed his arms, trying to see what would happen. He had yet to recognize the instructor._

 _"_ _Good, Dorin, now take a deep breath, keep your shoulders relaxed and gently pull back on the bowstring." Halien instructed. "Very good, now I want you to anchor your thumb to the base of your ear and when you are ready, release the arrow."_

 _Dorin did as was instructed as Halien stood and stepped back. Thorin watched as the boy took a deep breath and let the arrow fly and laugh when the arrow struck the very center of the target._

 _"_ _I did it, Halien! I did it!" the boy said, running to the elf._

 _"_ _Excellent work, Dorin. You may yet become a far better archer than I." she said with a smile, ruffling the boy's hair._

 _Thorin felt a smile creep at his lips, but he realized the name the boy had spoken and looked at the instructor. He could see she was tall, like an elf, and the name sounded so familiar. Then, when she lowered her shawl to wipe her brow, Thorin's eyes widened. Beside him, Balin spoke her name in surprise._

 _"_ _Halien!"_

 _Halien looked up, her eyes wide at the sight of the older dwarves. Dorin turned and bowed to Thorin, before he walked up to him._

 _"_ _Look, sire." He said to Thorin, pointing to the arrow he shot. "Halien taught me how to shoot an arrow. I hit the middle and it was my first try!"_

 _Thorin smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "I saw, young one. You are an excellent shot. Be sure to practice, we may have use for your natural skills in the future."_

 _"_ _I will. But I have a good teacher, too!" Dorin said with a smile. He turned and hurried over to Halien, grabbing her by the hand._

 _Halien was still in a bit of shock seeing Thorin and the other two there, but she let Dorin lead her over to them. As she bowed to Thorin, she fought the urge to run and embrace him. She had not seen him since the day Smaug came and she saw his figure in the distance, fleeing the main gate of Erebor._

 _"_ _It has been a long time, my lord. I am glad to see you in one piece after what happened at Erebor." She said._

 _"_ _I am surprised to see you here, Halien, daughter of Thranduil." Thorin said, noticing Halien wince as he spoke her father's name like it was poison. "I would ask what business you have here, but I see that you are working with the children."_

 _Thorin saw the other children stop their practice and turn to look at what was going on. Everyone knew that Thorin hated elves, but this was the first time since Halien had come to their village that she had actually interacted with the dwarf prince. They all seemed to be worried and had gathered around her._

 _"_ _Lady Halien, is everything alright?" one of the younger children asked. She knew who Halien was and had often asked her to tell her tales of Greenwood._

 _"_ _Yes, Moira. I am fine. Our dear prince here was just saying hello."_

 _The children bowed to Thorin and clustered around the elf maiden._

 _Thorin had never before seen such a sight and was surprised at how protective of Halien they seemed to be. Behind them, Bofur came out to meet them and stood next to her as he bowed to Thorin and said hello to Balin and Dwalin._

 _"_ _How have you fared of late, Halien?" Balin asked._

 _Halien smiled, a sort of sadness hidden behind it. "I have fared as well as one might expect under the circumstances."_

 _Balin smiled and nodded while his brother stood there with his arms crossed, in a guarded stance. "It is good to see you, lass, even with what happened. I am glad that you have been well. Thorin," he said, looking to his prince. "We should hurry or we will be late."_

 _Thorin nodded and Halien bowed one last time to him. "It was a pleasure to see you once more, sire. I wish you well." Though she tried, Halien couldn't resist anymore and pulled the dwarf king into her arms. "I have missed you so, Thorin Oakenshield. I am so glad to see that you are alright." She said, then she hugged Balin and bowed her head in respect for Dwalin, knowing he did not like hugs. She bid them a farewell and turned to walk back towards the school house, Bofur close behind with the children still clustered about her._

 _Thorin watched as Halien laughed with the children and glanced back to see him still standing there._

 _'_ _What is she thinking? How can she embrace me like that after what her father did? How could she think that everything would be the same?' he thought to himself._

 _Halien left Bofur and the children and went across the street to the open stable stalls and pressed her forehead against her mare's._

 _"_ _I finally found him, Torwen…" she said to the mare. "Things may not be the same as before, but Thorin is safe and well. I can sleep easy now."_

 _The mare whinnied and Halien turned to glance back at Thorin and saw in his eyes something peeking through, trying to resurface. Halien felt her chest tighten as she realized that it was hope._

 _Later that night, Halien went to put the equipment away. As she gathered up the training gear and went about organizing it, she sang softly to herself. Outside, Thorin had decided to go for a walk around the village and was passing by the school house as Halien was singing to herself. He stopped to listen, having never heard something as beautiful as her voice, and decided to go and talk to her._

 _Halien busied herself with polishing the swords and armor, then made sure that each of the weapons and armor pieces were in their correct spots. She had been so busy with putting everything away and singing to herself that she didn't notice when Thorin had come into the room and stood with his shoulder against the doorframe. She walked around the room, picking up anything that had been left out after the children had left, and when she stood back up after bending over to pick up a book, she noticed Thorin._

 _"_ _Sire, how long have you been there?" she asked, a little shocked to see him._

 _"_ _Only a little while. I heard you singing and thought I'd come speak with you. That is if you are not busy?" Thorin replied._

 _Halien smiled and shook her head. "It's alright, sire. What is that you need?" she asked, grabbing a few more of the texts to put back on the shelf._

 _"_ _I wanted to see how you have been this past years. We missed you in Erebor and when you left without another word last I saw you, I feared I would not see you again."_

 _Halien smiled at him and replied, "I have been well, sire. I have been traveling the lands, helping those I could, and while I was exiled from Greenwood for defying my father and returning to help the Men and dwarves escaping the dragon's fire, I have found a purpose still as I aid those that cross my path."_

 _"_ _You came back?" Thorin asked._

 _Halien stopped in her tracks and looked at him. "Of course, I did. I take my duties very seriously. As the ambassador and the princess of my people, it was my duty to honor the alliance our peoples built. My father would not risk our soldiers to the dragon's wrath, not after what happened with my mother." She said, a sadness hanging in her voice._

 _"_ _Why didn't you stop your father, then, if it was your duty?" Thorin asked, a sudden harsh tone in his voice. "When we came to your lands, seeking refuge and aid, where were you? Why weren't you there to stop your father from turning us away?"_

 _Halien stared at him. He had gone from friendly and concerned to suddenly angry. "Thorin, my father had exiled me when I tried to return. I have not seen my family or my people in nearly forty five years."_

 _"_ _You should have been there, Halien!" Thorin retorted, his anger growing and his hatred for her father and her kind showing. "You could have stopped all of it, yet instead you are off gallivanting about doing your so called duties."_

 _Halien had come to stand in front of Thorin and glared down at him. "Thorin, I was out there, helping_ _ **your**_ _people! I came back to help the people of Dale and Erebor! I led those I could to safety and I even came back to look for you!"_

 _Thorin glared at her. "I did not see you anywhere that my people had gone. I had not heard word of an elf wandering the lands, healing and aiding those in need." He said, spitting the word "elf" as it said it with such hate. "I had not heard anything of the sort until you spoke of it today. How can I trust that you were helping my people when your father did nothing to aid us and turned us aside, ignoring our suffering?"_

 _Halien had had enough. She raised her hand, balled it into a fist, and punched him. "I am not my father, Thorin Oakenshield. I have never done anything, not even once, to make anyone think that I am. How can you even think that of me? After all that we have been through? Did my time in Erebor with you and your family mean nothing to you?" she retorted._

 _Thorin looked up and gaped at her, shocked that she had punched him- even more shocked at the force behind it- and saw tears slipping from her eyes. He didn't know what to do or say and didn't bother stopping her as she ran passed him and disappeared into the darkness._

 _'_ _What have I done…?' Thorin asked himself, a sudden rush of guilt washing over him. Halien had done so much for his family and for his people and she did not deserve the hatred and anger he had thrown at her. He had only lashed out and tried to blame her because it was_ _ **her**_ _father that had betrayed the dwarves of Erebor and abandoned the people of the Rhovanian Plains. He turned and ran after, but when he got outside, Halien was nowhere to be found._

 _Halien ran as hard as she could to reach Bofur's house. She gathered her things and went to the door, opening it silently. She looked behind her, feeling guilty, but she shook her head._

 _"_ _I'm sorry, Bofur." She whispered._

 _Halien closed the door silently and walked away from the house and to the stables. Torwen, her mare, was excited to see her again, but could sense that it was their time to move on again and stepped out of her stall._

 _Mounting into her saddle, Halien faced Torwen away from the village and urged her forward. Torwen cantered away from the village and as they got further and further away, Halien turned and looked back, her heart heavy in her chest._

 _"_ _I'm so sorry…"_

Thorin was silent, as were the others. They saw the tears silently slipping from her eyes as she remembered. Bilbo went over to Halien and put a hand on her arm, but she shook her head and turned away.

"I'm so sorry…" she said.

Gandalf sighed, wishing that Thorin had not said anything to her, but glad that he knew the reason why she was there and hoped that now he would understand and accept her as part of the company.

Halien could not say another word, so she went back to Torwen and grabbed her reins. "Mithrandir, I will wait on up ahead." she said and walked away.

Gandalf looked at Thorin with a stern look.

"Now what'd you go and do that for?" Bofur asked. "Halien's a good lass. She worked so hard to be a better person than her father while she stayed in our village and even now she tries so hard to prove herself to and you go and upset her like that? She made us breakfast, even after how she was treated! The least you could do is thank her without questioning her motives."

"What would you know of it, Bofur?" Thorin retorted.

"Halien helped me and Bombur in the village, and was always there when we needed her. She had been there nearly six years, then after you two had your encounter, she up and left in the middle of the night without a single word. Not even a letter! Whatever happened between you two was enough to make her leave. I have never once seen her so upset; she always had a smile on her face, even when you could see how sad she really was. She tried her best to be good to everyone, but I can't imagine what she felt when she packed her things and left. We never heard from her again until Gandalf told us she was coming to join us on the quest. Honestly, Thorin, you should be ashamed of yourself."

Thorin didn't know what to say. He had not expected the elf to unload all that on him and one of his own to defend her in such a way. He watched her disappear around the bend and felt an uneasy and wretched feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"I wonder if she's OK." Ori said, mostly to himself.

Up ahead, waiting for the others to catch up to her, Halien rubbed Torwen's neck. "I know, Torwen, but he needed to understand." Halien said, listening to her mare's thoughts, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Behind her, Kili was the first to join her. He walked his pony up to Halien and Torwen in silence, not sure if he should say anything. Halien looked ahead of them, resting her head against Torwen's neck.

"Don't mind Thorin, elf. He has had an... unfortunate history with your people/" Kili said, trying to be comforting, but not sure how. He had never met an elf before.

"I understand that, dwarf- I was there when it happened- but that is no excuse." Halien said, not meaning to be harsh toned.

Kili looked away for a moment, then back to Halien. "He means well, Thorin does. He just takes some getting used to."

"You speak as if you know from experience." Halien said, looking at him.

"He is my uncle, so no, I can't say that I do." he replied. Halien rolled her eyes, making him jump to defend his uncle. "But, he is a good man. Just give him time."

Halien saw a gentle nature in Kili and she smiled softly. "I know he is, but it will not be easy to work around the damage my father caused."

They were silent for a moment, then Kili said, "I wanted to apologize for last night. My brother and I acted upon instinct, we shouldn't have..."

"It's not your fault, dwarf. You trusted your instinct, which is something you should always do." Halien said.

"Your healing power, it is quite extraordinary." Kili mentioned. "It will definitely be of use on our quest."

"That is part of why Gandalf asked me to join you." Halien replied. "As I told you last night, there is no need for bandages. Unless I am not with you, you and your companions will not have to worry about wounds or illness slowing us down."

Kili nodded, feeling somewhat comfortable around the elf, not sure why. Beside him, Halien was feeling the same way.

"I'm Kili, by the way, at your service." Kili said, offering his hand.

Having grown quite accustomed to dwarven culture, Halien shook his hand. "I am Halien, at yours, as we were never formally introduced."

"Halien is truly a beautiful name." Kili mentioned with a smile.

Halien smiled softly, feeling a little better than before. "It is not the most beautiful among my kin. Tauriel has a far more beautiful name, she is a more skilled warrior, a far better shot than I and she stills holds favor with my father."

"Tauriel?" Kili asked.

"Tauriel was raised in my father's court for six hundred years and when my mother..." Halien paused for a moment, the painful memories almost too much to bear, but Halien swallowed them and continued. "Tauriel practically raised me. She trained me, taught me to sing our people's songs, she even asked my father to consider me for a position on the guard with her when I got older. But that day I went back, she did not ask my father to reconsider and let him exile me without a word."

"I'm sorry," Kili said. "I can't imagine how hard that must have been."

Halien sighed and looked at him. "It does not matter now, I have no intention to return there. I have grown my skills on my own since that day and I have become a far better warrior and magik user alone than I had with Tauriel."

Behind them, the others had rejoined them. "We are ready to continue forward." Gandalf said, coming to a stop next to Halien. "Shall we?" He gestured forward.

Halien nodded and mounted into her saddle, then urged Torwen forward. The others followed suit as they continued to their journey.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been several months since they had begun their journey and the company happened across a spring that flowed into a pool as it splashed over the edge of a waterfall. Gandalf suggested they stop, sensing the magik in the water and the day was beginning to grow quite hot.

"This spring has rejuvenating properties. Let the others enjoy it while there is time, Thorin." Gandalf said when Thorin refused.

"Sire, we can take some of the water with us in the water skins." Halien suggested. "These waters do indeed possess rejuvenating properties, which will help to ease an aching body and give energy back to the others if they grow weary. If I add a bit of my own healing magik to it, I may even be able to enchant it enough to heal wounds upon contact- whether it is inside or outside one's body."

Halien could hear Thorin going over it in his head. He knew that she was being logical and was glad to see her thinking of the others in their company. Thorin looked over at the others as they practically stripped completely naked – having naught but their underclothes on- and dived into the pool. A smile crept into the corner of his mouth and he sighed. "Very well."

Halien bowed and grabbed the water skins and a few jugs. She went to the side of the pool where the dwarves were not swimming and splashing, one or two of them jumping in buck naked. Opening the water skins, she filled each of them to the top, sealed them, and then did the same with the jugs. Then, when the jugs were full, she sat on her legs and breathed deep, tuning out the sound of the dwarves' merry making and summoned her healing magik. She pulled it from her belly, up through her chest and down her arms and let it flow from her hands and fingers into each of the jugs. She spread the magik out so that it would enchant all of the jugs at once. When the water was enchanted, Halien closed the lids of the jugs and hauled each of them back to the horses. Ori had gotten out of the water to grab an apple from his pack and saw that Halien was going back and forth, carrying the heavy water jugs and skins.

"Would you like some help, Halien?" he asked her when she came back from her third trip.

Halien smiled. "I would greatly appreciate it, Ori. Thank you very much."

Ori blushed and Halien's smile got bigger as she heard his embarrassment and glee that she remembered his name. Ori helped her carrying the remaining jugs and skins to the horses and ponies, then helped her secure them to the saddles. When they were finished, Ori asked if Halien would care to join them in the pool.

Ori nodded when she kindly told him that she might later and ran to the edge of the pool, jumping in and making a grand splash.

Halien went to sit underneath a tree and rested her head against the bark. She hummed softly to herself and began sharpening her weapons and those of her companions while they enjoyed a moment of care free frivolity.

"Thorin, you must admit that she is trying." Balin said as he joined Gandalf, Thorin, and Bilbo. "I wouldn't have agreed to her company if I didn't see the effort she is putting forth. Besides, she seemed harmless enough when we first met her at Erebor. I do not think I have seen anyone as happy as her that day nor anyone so in love with the halls of Erebor who was not a dwarf."

Thorin nodded. "I do see that she is trying, much as she did with the children in our village, but that does not mean that I trust her. She is the daughter of the man who betrayed our people, Balin. She should have been there to stop him."

"She's not like her father, Thorin, and she was not even there to stop him. She couldn't have known you were going to see her father. She didn't even know if you were alive or not." Gandalf said. "In fact, she is quite the opposite of her father. Since she was a little girl, she wanted nothing more than adventure- much like our Bilbo Baggins here. She refused to go along with the proper upbringing her father set for her, refused to be like her brother as a perfect child who always listened to her elders, always doing what she was told. She would sneak out at night to go and speak with the animals, finding more company with them than her own people, and to explore the wonders of Greenwood. Though she possesses a magik that is far older than Lady Galadriel- the eldest of the elves that remain here in Middle Earth- her people did not treat her with the respect nor accept her as they should have."

As Gandalf was telling him this, Thorin watched as Halien talked to each of the horses and ponies. They had gathered around her, nuzzling her and seemed to talk back to her as she began to sketch the dwarves enjoying the pool. He had never seen anyone so happy, not even in the days before Smaug came. Sighing, he knew that he should give her as much a chance as he gave Bilbo. "She will still have to earn my trust once more, as much as the burglar does." he said and that was how he left it.

Dwalin got out of the water and beckoned for Thorin to join them. Seeing no harm in it, Thorin pulled off his robes and boots and dove into the pool in his underclothes. He was not usually the type of person to do such a thing, not since Erebor fell, but he needed to relax and the water felt wonderful as it washed over his body. He and the other dwarves began to play a game of chicken, hoisting each other up on their shoulders. Halien watched from the tree and laughed when Ori knocked over Dwalin and Nori. She stood and stretched, not sensing that Fili and Kili had hopped out of the water and snuck up behind her. Before she could react, the dwarven brothers ran up and pushed her into the pool, making her land with a loud splash.

The other dwarves winced, as it had sounded like she landed belly first in the water, but cheered when she sprung up from beneath the water and dragged the brothers into the water. Her shawl had slipped off her head and hung wet around her neck and she laughed when they spurted up from the water, surprised at her.

"Serves you right, lads." Dwalin called to them.

Fili and Kili laughed as Halien dove out of their reach when they lunged for her, trying to dunk her. She swam underneath the dwarves to the deeper parts of the pool and found an outcropping of rocks. She swam to the surface, hoisting herself out of the water, and looked at the dwarves having fun. She pulled her shawl from her shoulders and tied it into a sash at her waist, smiling when she watched Thorin join in the frivolities, even if it was just for a moment.

"Elf, come here." Thorin called to her. "It is your turn to join this game of chicken."

Halien smiled. Standing, she called back, "And who is to be my opponent?"

Thorin smirked. "I am."

Her grin grew and she dove into the water with grace, swimming to the dwarves. When she resurfaced, she was nose to nose with Thorin. "Is that a challenge, little king?"

"Aye, that it is." He replied, ignoring the pet name she used.

"Very well." Halien said and stood. Fili hoisted Thorin onto his shoulders while Kili hoisted Halien upon his, surprised that she felt light as a feather. They faced each other and when Dori called for the round to start, they raced at each other. Fili and Kili steered Thorin and Halien towards each other, holding fast to their legs to steady them. Halien and Thorin locked their hands together and began to try and push each other down.

"You will not win this round, elf." Thorin said, rather confidently.

"Is that so?" Halien replied.

Thorin saw a glint in her eye, a gleaming sign of her determination that sparked as he challenged her. Halien tightened her grasp on Thorin's hands and arched her back. She squeezed Kili's sides gently to let him know what she was going to do and he grinned, tightening his hold on her legs. Halien took a deep breath and pushed as hard as she could, wriggling her hands free just as Fili and Thorin fell back into the water, the round lost to them.

The others, including Gandalf and Bilbo who had been watching from the fire pit they had dug, cheered as Halien slid off of Kili's shoulders and waded over to the fallen dwarves. Kili helped his brother up and Halien offered her hand to the dwarven king. Thorin looked up at her in frustration and accepted her hand.

"Well done, Halien. No one has been able to defeat Thorin at a game with hand to hand combat before." Bofur said, laughing.

Thorin smirked and threw Halien into the water, pinning her down in the shallow waters. "Perhaps you win at this, but I do not think you could beat me at wrestling."

Halien laughed and slid out from underneath him. The other dwarves watched as their king and companion began to wrestle in the water, surprised that Thorin would challenge her so quickly to another game and even more surprised that he was having fun.

"Do you think that your brawn can beat my speed and grace?" Halien asked.

Thorin shrugged. "I guess we shall find out." he said, then lunged for her.

Halien smiled and spun out of his grasp, but he managed to grab hold of her braid as it whipped around. She winced and ran around the dwarf king in circles as her long braid tied him in place. He struggled to get free, letting go of the end of her braid in the process. Halien stopped in front of him and lifted his chin with her finger.

"It may not have been a fair match- you pulling a sneaky trick like that- but I think that it is safe to say I win this one as well. Don't you?"

Thorin sighed and nodded. "You have bested me at two of the games I excel most at. You have shown me how quick your wit and speed are, as well as your strength. You have proven your worth in this matter."

Halien gently unwrapped her braid and set the dwarf king free, bowing to him and thanking him for the games before she went to the edge of the pool and got out of the water. Behind her, the dwarves were muttering amongst themselves how much their king and the elf seemed to enjoy that spat, wondering if there was more to be seen between them that went far past being companions. When Thorin looked at them, they began to laugh and he threw a fist full of water at them.

Gandalf watched as Halien laid down by the fire to dry off and sighed. Bilbo had gone over to the ponies and Balin had joined the others by the pool.

"Halien, what do you think of this company?" the wizard asked her as she rolled onto her side to look at him.

"These are the bravest, merriest, and most loyal dwarves I have ever met. They are kin to me and seem to have accepted me into their ranks. I feel like I have proven my worth many times over to them and as they have yet to turn me away or cast me out like my father had, then I believe they trust me as I have grown to trust them."

"And what do you think of Thorin?" Gandalf asked her, gaging her reaction.

Halien looked at him with interest. "Thorin is a wonderful leader. He has earned the respect and loyalty the others in this company give him. He holds courage, honor, family, and loyalty above all else and would most definitely do anything to make sure that we all make it to Erebor alive and try to get us all home safely. He is a good man and a great king, even if he has yet to reclaim the throne that is rightfully his. I do not see Thorin falling to the sickness that overtook his father and grandfather before him; he is too strong willed for that. I believe in him wholeheartedly and hope that one day I can call him my king."

Gandalf smiled. "How do you feel about him?"

"Mithrandir?" Halien asked, sitting up.

"You and Thorin have seemed to grow rather close these past months. You no longer fight, you no longer look at each other with disdain- in fact you smile in the presence of one another and seem much more relaxed and happy. I just want to make sure that whatever happens between you and Thorin that you do not falter from your tasks, whatever they may be. Be mindful of each other."

Halien smiled and hugged the wizard, her clothes nearly dry. "I know you worry for Thorin, Mithrandir. He is a good and strong man; he will not falter from the task he has set before him."

"I worry for you as much as I do for him, Halien. You do not have a home to go back any longer and you seem to ache for the chance to make one for yourself. You have incredible gifts that you cannot yet fully control. You seem so lonely, but when you are with Thorin, you smile. Not like you smile around the rest of the company, but it is a smile that tells me you are beginning to fall in love with him. Just be careful, my dear. You must remember that he is a dwarf and you are an elf, and you must be prepared that things may not work out like you may hope."

Halien nodded and watched as the dwarves noticed they were getting puny, coming out of the water to lay on the ground, letting the sun shine down on them and dry them the good old fashioned way. When night fell, they lit the fire and made camp, having spent the rest of the day at the spring. Halien made them dinner, using some of the meat from their packs and some bread and cheese. As they ate, they talked and shared stories. Thorin watched as the others enjoyed their meal. He even noticed that Dwalin- who was the hardest person, personality wise, and the least willing to trust a newcomer- was warming up to the young elf maiden.

When they had all finished eating, they cleaned up and got themselves ready for bed, Fili took the first watch. While everyone slept, Fili found a spot where he could clearly see everything. He sat for a few hours, nothing to report. Halien couldn't sleep, so she went to the pool, found a secluded spot near the waterfall and slipped out of her clothes. She slid into the cool water, letting it wash over her, especially when she swam out from behind the waterfall. Feeling instantly calm, she began to swim around in the deeper parts of the pool, her strokes silent. She loved the way water felt, the way it made her feel. She loved being in water, being in its serene and peaceful beauty. She felt safe and secure in water, having never felt danger.

As she swam through the water, she lost track of time. It was nearing the end of File's shift and Kili came to relieve him. When his brother went back to the camp, soon passing out with the others, Kili picked a spot on the large rock that overlooked the pool. He sat there for a while before he looked down and saw Halien swimming through the water. He watched her gracefully swim back and forth, then stopped to rest underneath the waterfall. She waded through to the other side of the waterfall. Kili was interested in what she was doing, so he left his post and walked over to the waterfall, making sure that he still had a clear view of everything.

Halien rested her head against the cool stone as she reached the edge. Kili came around the edge of the waterfall and leaned against the rock. "So, Halien, couldn't sleep?"

Halien looked at Kili with a stern face, her underclothes clinging to her skin. "No, Kili, I couldn't."

"Is everything alright?" Kili asked. "You've been a little slower than usual."

"Slow? Since when do elves ever get slow?" Halien said, jokingly. "Everything is fine, I promise." Halien hoisted herself out of the water- Kili saw the scars on her back from past battles she had seen- and dried herself off, slipping back into her clothes and boots. Kili watched as she pulled the leather string that held her hair together and started to unbraid her hair. She pulled the braid out slowly, avoiding any tangles, and as she shook her hair out, Kili stared in wonder at her beautiful white hair as it hung in waves over her shoulder. Halien looked up at him.

"What?" she asked, standing.

Kili blushed and shook his head. "N-Nothing."

Halien walked over to him, smiled softly and touched his cheek. "Thank you for everything you have done, Kili. I truly appreciated it and I hope that you would consider us friends as I have come to."

Kili smiled and saw the moon reflect off of her face. She was beautiful, strong, protective, great with the others, and had a unique and wonderful collection of gifts and skills. "I do, though I never thought to befriend an elf before." he replied, a smirk on his face. "I wonder what my mother would say to my best friend being an elf."

Halien smiled and walked passed him, back to the camp. Kili resumed his post on the larger rock, watching as Halien went to her usual spot with the horses and ponies, curling up against Torwen, her long white hair like a blanket on her. She seemed to feel better after the swim, so she went right to sleep. Thorin was to relieve Kili and take the next watch, but as he stood, he noticed Halien shiver a little. He walked over to her and pulled her cloak from her pack, laying it on her. He made sure that it was tucked around her, covering her whole body. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a quick thought of how beautiful she was flickered through his mind, and he stood to relieve Kili. Kili had seen how Thorin had interacted with her and smiled. He was certain now more than before that his uncle was beginning to trust her.

The next morning, Halien braided her hair and made them breakfast again with sausages and potatoes. The dwarves had grown accustomed to her cooking for them, as she had every day that she journeyed with them, though she and Bilbo would take turns cooking, or they'd help each other cook the meals. When they were finished with breakfast and ready to continue on their journey, Thorin signaled them to mount their steeds and move forward, then led the company on. As they continued their journey, the day seemed to grow longer and drag on and on. Fili and Kili rode next to each other like usual, and Halien brought up the rear. The dwarves began to sing a song they knew, lightening the mood a bit. Halien smiled, glad to see them happy considering the circumstances. They were on their way to reclaim a home that they have not seen for sixty years, not sure how they were going to get into the city, nor how they were going to defeat Smaug. Halien worried as their thoughts clouded her mind. She felt dizzy and rested her head against Torwen's neck, her braid slipping down her shoulder.

Torwen whinnied, asking if she was alright. Halien told her yes, that she was just a little overwhelmed by all of the thoughts she heard in the dwarves' minds. Torwen understood, but suggested that she practice blocking their thoughts from entering her mind to the point of her being in control as to when the thoughts come and go. Halien smiled and rubbed Torwen's neck, thanking her for the advice. She could sense Torwen smile, if a horse could smile.

The company continued to travel until nightfall, when Thorin suggested they make camp. The dwarves set up camp and Halien offered to go hunting.

"What do you know of hunting, Halien? You never joined the hunting parties when you were with us." Bofur said, jokingly.

"You'll see, Bofur. I am not like most of my people." she replied and went off with Torwen into the woods.

Gandalf chuckled and looked at Bofur. "She is more skilled a huntress than Kili is an archer and Thorin or Dwalin are warriors. She will bring something back."

Bofur shrugged and went about finishing the fire, then went about setting up a wooden stand to cook their dinner on. It was then that he realized that the through the whole time she had spent in the Blue Mountains, Halien and Thorin somehow managed to avoid each other, never seeing each other nor passing one another by on the street. He thought it was odd, but he decided not to mull over it. After what seemed like hours, the dwarves' stomachs were growling like a warg and they began to wonder if they should make something to eat or wait until Halien returns. Just when they were beginning to doubt her, though, Halien comes back with a buck slung over Torwen's back and five game birds in her hand.

"You caught all that?" Ori asked, fascinated.

"Yes, Ori. There should be enough meat and other things we can get from these creatures to last us a few weeks at least." she said and handed the birds to the young dwarf. "Care to help me skin and gut them?"

Ori felt his stomach tighten and shook his head. "Maybe next time." He handed the birds to his brother, Dori, who then handed them to the other brother, Nori. Nori rolled his eyes and got out his knife and began to work on the birds.

Meanwhile, Halien hoisted the buck off of Torwen's back and lugged it over to an open spot nearby. Thorin watched as she carried it on her shoulders like it was nothing. This elf was definitely stronger than she looked. Halien pulled her knife from her belt and began to work on the buck. She cut a length of rope and tied it around the hind legs before hoisting it up into the air over a branch and tied it off around the trunk of the tree. She stuck the knife into the buck and began to skin it. The dwarves who had never seen or done anything like that before turned away and went about busying themselves so they didn't watch.

When Halien was finished skinning the buck, she gutted it and laid the organs aside. She set the hide aside as well, then cut the meat off of the buck in sections. She continued to do so until there was nothing left but bones. Cleaning off her knife and sheathing it, Halien used her elemental magik to dig a hole beneath the buck's skeleton and lowered the skeleton into the hole. She then pushed the dirt back into the hole and buried the buck as she thanked it for providing her and her companions with food and hide to use for clothing and such.

"Bilbo, do you happen to have any salt on you?" Halien asked the hobbit, coming over to the fire.

Bilbo nodded and pulled some out of his pack. It was a well sized pouch, but Halien made sure not to use all of it. She thanked him and went over to the meat. She sprinkled a little salt on each side of the pieces of meat, then summoned her elemental magik and combined fire's heat with the dryness of wind to dehydrate the meat just enough to preserve it for a few weeks. She brought the pouch of salt back over to Bilbo and thanked him again before she wrapped the cured meat in leaves and packed it away in one of the sacks. When the meat was put away, Halien used her water magik to clean the hide, rinsing off the blood and dirt. She then used her wind magik to dry the hide. When she was satisfied, Halien began to shave off the hairs on the hide with her knife.

The dwarves watched in wonder as she shaved off the hairs, then smoothed out the leather. Halien knew that they needed more packs, so she cut the leather and weaved the pieces together with fiber from leaves, using her magik to guide the fibers through the holes. She made the packs large enough to where they could be worn on one's back or hang on a saddle, but light enough to where they were practical for simple uses, then added a special dwarven- elven mixed design and embroidered their names on them. She wanted it to be special, a gift to thank them for accepting her as part of their company. She gathered up the sacks and handed one to each of the dwarves, Gandalf, and Bilbo. She presented one to Thorin, who much to hers and everyone's surprise, took it without question. Halien bowed and smiled when she heard him silently thank her and admire her work.

Then, Halien returned to deal with the organs. The heart wasn't much use, so she left that aside. She took the stomach, the intestines, and the lungs- as well as the smaller and less important bits- and dried them out. She made sure that the intestines were cleaned, then stretched them out. These were useful when dried: they could be used as rope, binding for bandages, and a few others things. The lungs and stomach she dried out as well, making two more water skins from the lungs and a large pack out of the stomach. She took some wood chips from nearby and used her magik to manipulate them into water skin lids, securing them to the top of the skins as tightly as she could. The fat from the buck she stored in an empty jar for lighting torches. The fat often had a sweet scent to it when burned, depending on the region the animal lived in, but it was often used with torches and in lamps. When she finished with the organs and put everything away, she grabbed the birds that Nori had set aside and placed them on a large stick and laid it on the stand that had been set up above the fire. She let it cook over the fire as she filled a pot with water before she added potatoes and carrots to the pot. She rotated the meat, then sat near the fire to keep an eye on dinner.

Around her, the dwarves went about their own business, some sharpening weapons, some making more arrows, some reading maps or playing music, and always one person on watch. Thorin sat with Balin and discussed the best paths to take to reach Erebor while Ori helped Kili make more arrows, using the feathers from the birds for fletching. Halien watched as Dwalin took the next watch, relieving Dori of his. Dwalin asked to speak with her for a moment.

"Yes, Dwalin?" she asked when they went off to the side, away from the others.

"I know you can read minds, lass." he began. "I know shouldn't ask this, but I must know. Is Thorin really sure of this quest?"

"What do you mean? Are you afraid of something?"

Dwalin nodded. "I am worried the lad is not taking this as seriously as he should. I have no doubt in his abilities and I would follow him without question, but after everything he has been through, I have to be sure."

Halien nodded. "You have nothing to fear, Dwalin. Thorin is giving his heart to this quest. He is more worried for everyone's safety than he is having any doubts. He is determined to get everyone to Erebor safely and out alive."

"Thank you, lass. You know, Thorin seems to have grown to admire you. He may even trust you now, enough to know you'll have his back." Dwalin said. As he walked away, Halien said, "I know, Dwalin. Thank you."

Dwalin nodded, having given her the message silently. Halien sighed and went back to the fire. Halien turned the birds and continued to let them cook. She began to hum to herself to pass the time by. Ori looked up and asked if she could sing them a song. Halien looked at the others, who were just as enthusiastic, then at Gandalf, who nodded.

"Very well," Halien said, then began to sing. "May it be an evening star, Shines down upon you. May it be when darkness falls, Your heart will be true. You walk a lonely road, Oh how far you are from home. Mornië utúlië, Believe and you will find your way. Mornië alantië, A promise lives within you now. May it be the shadow's call, Will fly away. May it be you journey on, To light the day. When the night is overcome, You may rise to find the sun. Mornië utúlië, Believe and you will find your way. Mornië alantië, A promise lives within you now, A promise lives within you now."

The dwarves were enchanted by her voice and Gandalf smiled, having always loved her voice. Even Thorin was enthralled.

"That was beautiful," Ori said.

Halien smiled and stood. "You're too kind, Ori. Now, dinner is ready, so let's eat." She had caught five birds, so there was enough meat from one bird to feed three dwarves at least. Thankfully, the birds were large and plump, as they should be during that time of year. She pulled the stick holding the birds off the stand and one by one pulled off the birds. She handed one to Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, one to Nori, Dori, and Ori, one to Fili, Kili, and Thorin, one to Bilbo, Oin, and Gloin, and one to Balin and Gandalf. Balin cut a portion of the bird and put it on a plate, asking if Halien could bring it to Dwalin. Halien nodded and took the pot from the fire and spooned out the potatoes and carrots onto their plates. Smiling, she watched as the dwarves began to eat their meal with much delight. She could hear their thoughts and chuckled to herself when they said that it was nice to have someone to cook for them and that it was far better than anything that they could have made. She brought the plate to Dwalin and smiled when he thanked her. She was as surprised as the others that he warmed up to her as much as she had. She suspected that it was because she had more than proved her worth to the company.

Putting the pot back on the fire- as it still had plenty left inside- Halien went over to the horses and ponies to make sure that they were fed and watered. She felt the hunger pains start up in her stomach, but she ignored them until the animals were taken care of. The horses and ponies thanked her, grateful that she took so much time to make sure that they were taken just as well care of as their riders. Halien smiled and gave them each a treat: a peach for each of them that she had found near the spring they had stopped at. She had used her magik to extract the pits and planted them in the ground to grow new trees. The horses and ponies ate them graciously, enjoying the sweetness and thanking her for de-pitting them. Torwen urged Halien to eat something, but Halien shook her head. "I'm fine, Torwen." she insisted. Torwen didn't believe her, but knew not to push it too much as she had grown as stubborn as a dwarf in the many years she spent living with them.

While the others were enjoying their meal, Halien pulled an apple from her pack and sat off to the side a ways, looking out over the cliff side they made camp on. Behind her, Thorin looked up and saw her by herself, barely eating anything. He looked down at his plate and saw that he still had a good portion of his part of the bird left, and having eaten his fill, he stood and spooned some more of the potatoes and carrots onto his plate, carrying it over to Halien. Kili and Fili watched as their uncle approached her.

"He seems to have quite the interest in that elf." Fili commented as he watched Halien accept the offered plate as Thorin took a seat next to her.

"She is strong, holds honor and family in high regard for one thing- something we all know Thorin takes great pride in," Balin observed. "She is an excellent hunter, an amazing cook- as we all can attest to- she has skills that we could never dream of ever attaining that have been a valuable addition to our quest, and to top it all off, she has an outstanding voice and she is quite the beauty. If I were still young, I probably would show her the same attention as Thorin has begun to. She is different than her father- what I know of him at least- and different from others of her kind. I can respect her courage and her effort to aid us."

"Halien is a good lass," Bofur added. "She has a good heart. She thinks of others before herself and always makes sure that they are taken care of before she considers herself. When she was in our town, Halien would watch the children when their parents were away and would play games with them. She helped the village doctor with her healing magik every day and she would sing and dance with us at festivals. If I didn't know better, I would say that she has become more of a dwarf than she is an elf. She will always miss her people, but she's a part of our people now."

Thorin sat next to Halien as she ate and he began to think: what if she truly is nothing like her father? She had spoken of the burning of Dale as if she remembered it as clearly as he remembered Erebor falling just ahead of the town. Could she really have come back? No one could have faked the emotion she had when she told him that she had returned, that she had helped the people of Dale when her father would not. He knew that she had been in his village in the Blue Mountains, as he had seen her there himself. And now, here she was using her magik, her hunting skills, cooking every meal for them and showing him the utmost respect that one in her position would normally not. Thorin watched as Halien ate, smiling a little. Here was an elf who was eating meat, enjoying the company of the other dwarves as if she were truly one of them. Though he may not care for her people, thus far Halien has proven that she is not like her father in the time that she has traveled with him, even more so than when she had by building herself a name in the east and continuing in the west. He was beginning to trust her again, but wasn't sure how far that trust would go just yet. Perhaps she truly was not like her father and perhaps she was still the same adventurous and happy elf he had met long ago.

Halien, for once, was glad to have not heard Thorin's thoughts, though it might have been one of those times that she should have. The last month or so, she had been training herself as Torwen suggested to block out the thoughts of others unless she wanted to hear them. She had gained enough control over that power to where it was no longer an issue. She no longer felt dizzy, either, when the dwarves were thinking so loudly, all at once. She began to really enjoy the company of the dwarves. They seemed to have bonded fairly well, though it seemed to be just friends at the moment. Halien knew that if she were still in Greenwood, her father would be furious with her even spending this much time with the dwarves, let alone befriend them or fall in love with them. Halien had grown quite accustomed to the dwarves, almost as much as she had with the Grotsnev clan, and would even to go as far as calling them her kin. She felt sorry for Bilbo, though. The dwarves hadn't yet completely integrated him into the company; he seemed to be more of an awkward guest in a nobleman's home. He kept to himself a lot, but at least Bofur was making an effort to include him in things.

"I wanted to let you know, Halien, that I am glad for your aid in this quest. You are a valuable part of our company." Thorin said.

"I must say that it comes to me as a surprise that you call me by my name, instead calling me 'elf' as you usually do. You haven't done that in a long time. Though, suffice to say, I am glad to know that I have proven my worth, sire. Thank you." Halien said. "If I seem to be slower in some regards of late, I must apologize. My gift to read people and animals' minds can occasionally make me dizzy from an overwhelming amount of thoughts coming into my mind at one time. Torwen suggested that I train myself to block the thoughts, allowing myself to gain enough control over what I hear." she explained. "For the last month or so, I have been able to control the flow of the thoughts I hear, allowing me to choose when I want to hear them and when I don't."

"Will this continue for long? We do not need you to becoming ill on us. We need our healer at her best." Thorin said, worried, but presenting it nonchalantly.

"No, it will pass within a day or two. I am pleased that you seem worried for me, Thorin." Halien said.

Thorin smiled a little, then looked at her. "You have proven yourself, and I value your company. I need all of my warriors to be at their best."

Halien smiled. "I understand. I have to learn to manage my gifts efficiently and it takes time. It has taken me this long to figure out how to control one ability completely. We elves live a long time; I can manage with the side effects and be patient until I have complete control over them."

Thorin nodded and said, "Whatever you had to do to survive, whether you were really at Dale when Erebor fell, I am glad that you have immersed yourself in the culture of my people. You seem to understand us better than your father ever did."

"Thorin, there's something I have been meaning to tell you." Halien said, looking down at the ground. "It's about the day Erebor fell."

Thorin looked at her, waiting to hear what she had to say. When she looked up at him, he could see fear, hurt, and worry clouding her eyes a bit.

"When I turned away from my father and my kin, I rode as hard and fast as Torwen could carry me. I helped as many people as I could, but I was trying to find **_you_**."

Thorin looked at her with surprise.

"After spending so much time with you and your family, I was willingly to sacrifice everything I had to stay with you and your people, to learn your ways, but my father forced his will upon me. He told me nasty stories of your family, spinning tales of how you stole from our people and would not let me return as an ambassador. I know the stories your people have of my father: that he refused to pay you your dues. Whatever the case may have been, I gave up everything I had to come and tried to seek you out, hoping and praying to my ancestors that you were safe. I searched all through the plains before Erebor, through the burning buildings and passageways of Dale, but found no trace or sign of you. I grew so worried that I could barely think. You had shown me a kindness that no one, not even my own family, had shown me and I had to find a way to repay you for that."

Thorin watched Halien look up at the moon as it came out from behind the clouds as she continued. "After I helped the Grotsnev clan get to safety, I tried to go back to continue my search, but Baldrick insisted that I stay with them, that you would be fine. I went with them, but I always listened for word of your safety and that of your family. When I heard that a young dwarf was moving from place to place, seeking work, I hoped that it was you, but I knew that after Erebor had fallen, you would not have been the only one to be seeking work. Then word came of the Battle of Azanulbizar that earned you the name "Oakenshield" and my heart sank when I heard that your grandfather, the king, had been beheaded and that your father disappeared after having gone mad with grief. It reminded me of how Baldrick came to meet his end, driven by grief of losing his family. I feared for your safety, that you had fallen at the hands of the pale Orc, but when I heard that you had led the final charge against the Orcs and drove them back into Moria, I was so relieved. At last I knew that the only man who had looked past my appearance and tried to see me as a person was safe and out of harm's way."

She looked back at the dwarf king. "Thorin, you gave me hope every day that I spent with you in Erebor. I had never been treated so kindly before, having always been shunned or coddled and trussed up like a hearth on Durin's Day. It made me believe that maybe, someday, my father would give me that same kindness. But, then when I saw you in your village in the Blue Mountains, I began to fear that perhaps any hope of rekindling a friendship and trying to rebuild the alliance my father had broken was lost forever. Now I see that it may yet be possible, but I will not push and ruin what little chance there may be hidden behind all of this awkwardness."

Thorin laughed at her metaphor and listened to the young elf maiden, having taken in everything she said. She trusted him enough to confide in him, telling him something she had been holding bottled inside for sixty years. He watched her face the entire time she spoke, reading the signs she gave off, knowing that she spoke only the truth to him. "Did your father ever give you what you hoped for?"

Halien shook her head. "No, but it no longer matters. I am an outcast of my people, exiled from my homeland. I have lost my home, family, people, my mentor, everything that I ever held dear the day I disobeyed my father. I thought perhaps I had found a new home in your village, where I could stay and fully teach my skills to those who wanted to learn, but after the conversation we had that day, I felt it best that I left without a word. I felt as if I had overstayed my welcome and I did not want to be a burden to you or your people. Now, all I have left is my mare, Torwen." Halien looked back towards her mare, then continued. "She was a gift from my brother, Legolas, when I was younger. While I have a gift with animals, the elk my people ride did not seem to like me, so when it was time for me to be paired with one, they refused to come near me. As a result, I became shunned until the day that Legolas brought Torwen to me. She was just a filly at the time. She has been there for me through everything and she has lived nearly as long as I have thanks to the magik of the elves' immortality."

Thorin smiled at her softly, putting a hand to hers. "I must confess something to you as well, Halien. Your father was not someone I could see holding an alliance with, but the day we met, when you came to Erebor for the first time, I could see us, though far into the future, as the King under the Mountain and the Elven Queen of Greenwood. I could see us forming a friendship that would uphold our two people's alliance. But everything changed when your father took you from the halls of Erebor. I did not understand what had happened, nor do I to this day. The day you and your people returned to Erebor, I had called out for you to help us. But, your father turned away and I felt a hatred begin to brew within me. No help came from elves that day, nor any day since then. However, you are the exception. When we met again in my village, I was very surprised to see you there and after we spoke, I did feel pity for you, but I also saw the same loneliness in you that I myself felt. When you vanished that night and I did not see you again, I thought perhaps I had dreamed the whole thing, but Balin assured me I did not. I had hoped that it was a dream after all the things I had said to you. I let my anger and hatred for your father get the better of me and I took it out on you, undeservedly so. You have proven to dwarves everywhere that not all elves are like your father and you have proven your worth countless times. Elves live a long time, perhaps longer than dwarves ever will, but I can see us as allies once again. One day when you become queen of your people, I would form an alliance with you because you have become kin and a valuable part of this company. We could not ask for a better healer and warrior."

With that, he excused himself. He had indeed grown very fond of her and did worry about her. Her smile and her actions, her protectiveness and fondness of the other dwarves, it was all reassuring.

Halien had smiled at his words, but it quickly faded when she felt a chill, like they were being watched. She stood with a start, placing a hand on her sword. She scanned the area in front of her, as she had chosen another spot near the edge of the cliff. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She called Thorin back, who sensing the urgency of her voice, quickly rejoined her.

"What is it?"

"There is something nearby. It feels as though we are being watched." Halien said, her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed.

Thorin looked down when he heard the clink of metal and saw how tightly she was grasping her sword's hilt. For her to jump straight to her sword and not bothering with her bow… that had him worried and Thorin sensed her anxiety, worry, and fear. He could see her shaking a little- a subtle but noticeable tremble to a skilled warrior- and he glanced around the area, but saw nothing. "Are you certain?"

Halien looked at him and nodded. "Never before have the hairs on my neck stood on end. Whatever is out there is dark and very dangerous; we have to be careful."

Thorin believed her. One thing he knew for sure of elves is that they had some of the best instincts of any in Middle Earth, always sensitive to the world around them. "Very well, we will double the watch tonight, and keep our guards up."

Halien nodded. "Would you like me to scout around the area?"

"We need everyone together and I want you to be safe, with the rest of us. We will need all of our most capable warriors here if something happens, but we do need to know if there is anything out there." he replied. "I will put Dwalin and Nori on first watch tonight. Scout around the surrounding forests, see if you can find a source for this feeling, then I invite you to join us at the fire, so that we minimize any potential targets."

Halien nodded and went to the trees. The dwarves were clearly and visibly concerned when they saw her leave in such haste, seeing her hand at her sword and dagger as she left. Never before had they seen her reach for any weapon but her bow.

"Dwalin, Nori, you two are on first watch. We are going to have double watches for tonight." Thorin instructed.

"Why, what's going on?" Fili asked.

"Nothing for now. Halien sensed something out there and I trust her instinct. We double the guard, just to be safe." Thorin explained, not going into too much detail.

The dwarves nodded, not wanting to question him.

As the night progressed, the watch shifts changed, Halien returned- nothing to report- and Thorin asked her to bring in their mounts closer to the fire to minimize risk. The young elf maiden did as he asked and then she joined him and the other dwarves around fire. Thorin sat on the ground with his back against a fallen tree and he motioned for Halien to sit when she asked if she could join him. She told him of what she had found, having seen nothing that couldn't be accounted for. She described the feeling she still had to him, hoping he may understand. He had gotten the same feeling when he battled Azog the Defiler. He told her not to worry about it and to try and get some sleep.

Halien nodded and sat back with him, staring up at the moon as she tried to relax. She hummed a soft tune, one that was soothing. It seemed to relax the others as well, so she sang the song softly. It was a lullaby that her mother had sung for her as a babe and one that Tauriel had continued to sing for her after her mother was killed. Next to her, Thorin listened to the soothing notes she sang, her voice beautiful and strong. He watched her sing as she gazed into the fire as it danced back and forth, the embers crackling. The lullaby was doing its job, for Thorin closed his eyes and was soon fast asleep. Dwalin and Nori were relaxed, but they remained awake while they were on their watch.

When it was Fili and Kili's turn, Nori nudged Dwalin and pointed towards where Halien and Thorin slept. Halien had fallen asleep, somehow managing to lay against Thorin's chest with her hand just over his heart, with his arm wrapped around her. Dwalin looked at Thorin as he breathed deeply in his sleep, his head resting against the top of Halien's as she rested against his chest. While Nori went to wake Fili and Kili, Dwalin took a blanket from one of their packs laid them over the dwarf king and the elf maiden, covering them. He never would have thought that Thorin would find someone to make him happy and to carry on his line through another generation of Durin's sons, let alone that someone be an elf. Yet, through all the time the two had begun to spend with each other, it seemed that his king was finally going to be happy again and hoped that he had indeed found someone to share his life with. He was glad at the possibility of it being Halien, for she was a good lass, kind and strong, honorable and courageous, and could hold her own in battle. He went to his sleep roll and laid down as Fili and Kili rubbed their eyes and took the next watch.

Sometime in the night Thorin was awoken from a dream- or rather a nightmare- and looked around. He felt a weight at his chest and realized that he had been holding Halien in his arm as she slept against his chest. He sighed, not knowing what happened to have led to this point, but he was too tired to bother with it. He simply closed his eyes again and pulled the elf maiden in closer as he took comfort in her presence. He breathed in her scent, noticing that it was sweet like peaches and cherry blossoms, and found it soothing. Soon enough, the young dwarf king was asleep once more. The night was still young at that point, so there was plenty of time to sleep, but what none of the company knew was that the next few days would not be simple or safe.


	4. Chapter 4

The company had traveled a long way the next day, having had a rough night. Whatever Halien had sensed, it never showed. No one mentioned that Thorin and Halien had slept next to each other that night, for each of the company members had seen this as they let their leader and healer sleep. It was nearing evening, so Thorin said to set up camp.

"It would be wise not to camp here, Thorin." Gandalf said. "We should continue until we reach a safer location."

Halien got that same feeling as the night before as Thorin insisted that they make camp. Gandalf shook his head and stalked off, mumbling something about the stubbornness of dwarves.

"Thorin, perhaps Gandalf is right. It does not feel right, this area. Something bad happened here." Halien said, looking at the farm house. It looked as if something had torn it apart, brick by brick.

"We make camp here." he said, making it final. "Come, Bilbo. We are hungry."

Halien and Bilbo exchanged looks, surprised. They usually cooked the meals together. Halien nodded to Bilbo as he went about getting dinner made, knowing that Thorin was not in the best moods.

"Halien, I need you to scout around, just in case." Thorin said. Halien nodded and set off, leaving Torwen with the ponies. "Fili, Kili, watch the ponies." The two nodded and left to do their task.

Halien looked around the woods, checking everything she could see. She couldn't find anything that would be amiss, other than the abandoned home they were camped by. She could have sworn she remembered a farmer and his family living there within the past decade. As she returned to the camp, she heard someone talking and went to investigate. She hid up in one of the trees and looked through the branches to see Fili and Kili talking to each other. She started to turn away, but something Fili said made her stay.

"Kili, do you honestly think Thorin would fall in love with that elf?"

"I don't know, Fili. Perhaps, but I do not even know if she cares for our uncle the same way I believe he does for her."

Halien felt her face begin to burn.

"He does seem to really care for her, though he thinks that he does not show it."

"I would be happy for them if they could look passed the fact that she is an elf and he is a dwarf."

"Kili, Thorin hates elves. It is a miracle that he even trusts her."

"Do you really think he trusts her, Fili? Halien is a friend, a companion, an ally. I have faith in her skills and I trust her, but I hope that if she does love Uncle, and he returns that to her, they can be happy. Thorin has never experienced that kind of happiness before, but he deserves it more than any one of us."

Fili sighed and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "That's all I want for Thorin, Kili, is happiness. That and for him to live a long and prosperous life as King under the Mountain. Besides, you saw them laying together last night. Something must be going on for that to have happened and neither of them be worried about it."

Halien left, not wanting to hear another word, and jumped out of the tree, landing quietly on the other side. She made her way back to the camp as night had fallen and found dinner ready. She reported to Thorin that she could not find anything, but she mentioned that she had an eerie feeling and how uncomfortable the absence of people in the farmer's house made her.

"Thorin, we have to be careful. For there not to be a single soul living here any longer... I do not like it. This used to be the home of a farmer; last I passed through here, he had given me refuge from a storm until it passed. Whatever destroyed this house, whatever may have killed the farmer- if he is not elsewhere, safe and alive- may still be out there."

"Yet you found nothing, no foot prints, and no broken branches?"

Halien shook her head. "No, there was nothing that wasn't accounted for by the native animals in these woods. There were a few trees that had fallen over, but it looked as though they have been as they are for a long time or had been blown over with the storm that had passed through here some years ago. It had been one of the worst in Eriador. The soil around the roots appeared old and musty, not fresh as it would be if the trees had been uprooted recently."

Thorin scoffed at that. "Perhaps then your tracking and scouting skills have slowed. Another gift of yours that you are working through? One that is making you incompetent and useless?" His tone was incredibly harsh and sarcastic, one that would suggest hatred and mockery and a comment that he regretted instantly.

Halien felt anger and hurt rising in her. She stood straight, her limbs stiff. She clenched her jaw and punched Thorin square in the face. "I spoke to you of that in confidence, to make certain not to hide anything from you." Thorin fell back from a combination of the full force of her punch and surprise. Dwalin caught him and stared in shock at Halien. Balin looked at her- though every dwarf present and Bilbo were all looking at her- and saw tears in her eyes.

"How dare you doubt me after everything I have done to prove myself to you and this company, to your people? Would you doubt Dwalin if he suddenly lost his weapons and had to fight bare handed? Would you doubt Gandalf if he lost his staff?" Halien's tears poured from her eyes and she turned on her heel and stalked off, her shoulders heavy and her hands balled into fists.

After a short while, Halien had not returned and Bilbo was instructed to take two bowls to Fili and Kili.

"We're supposed to be watching the ponies. Though, we have encountered a slight problem. We have sixteen ponies; we only count fourteen." Fili said, when Bilbo asked what was the matter.

"Mitsy and Myrtle are missing." Kili added. "Torwen, too. Halien is not going to be happy if anything happened to her mare and the ponies."

Fili and Kili nodded and Fili saw a light up ahead. The laughter they heard meant only one thing.

"Trolls."

"They must have just come out, now that it is night. No wonder Halien couldn't find a trace of them anywhere." Bilbo commented.

Fili and Kili insisted on Bilbo going to free the ponies when they saw one of the trolls carrying Daisy and Myrtle, pointing out that he was far faster and smarter than the trolls. Bilbo began to walk toward the trolls, but he began to doubt himself. Turning around, he saw that Fili and Kili had disappeared. Halien was nearby and heard was going on, so she came up to the hobbit. "Don't worry about them, Bilbo. I'll be right behind you." Halien said, drawing her bow and notching an arrow.

Bilbo nodded and continued forward. "Why didn't you notice them before? Was it because it was day when you scouted the area?"

"Trolls cannot travel in daylight, so yes, it would make sense that I could not find a trace of them anywhere because of that. If they are the ones who uprooted the trees and not that storm, then they must have done so a while ago. There is no freshly disturbed soil at the roots and there were no footprints. Perhaps that is because trolls have indistinct tracks that make it easy for them to hide from trackers. Their tracks could have been easily disguised by native animal tracks, as they passed along their migratory road ways."

Bilbo understood and watched as Halien climbed up into a nearby tree, gaining her a clear line of sight of the trolls. She glanced over at the pen they had crudely made and saw Torwen in with the other ponies. She felt anger and worry for Torwen and Bilbo, as well as Mitsy and Myrtle, rising in her gut. Taking a deep breath, she positioned herself into a more comfortable spot, her arrow ready to fly. Up ahead, Bilbo was sneaking around the three trolls. He tried to grab for one of their blades, but the one troll grabbed his handkerchief- grabbing Bilbo as well- and blew his nose.

Squealing, the troll freaked out about what come out of his hooter. He threw Bilbo to the ground, not likely how he was wriggling around. Bilbo got to his feet quickly, but the trolls had already started trying to grab him to see if they could eat him. He ducked and dodged, doing well to avoid them, but one of them grabbed him by the legs.

"Now, are there any more of you hiding where you shouldn't?" the troll asked.

"Nope, no there isn't." Bilbo replied.

Another troll said, "He's lying, hold his toes over the fire. Make him squeal!"

At that point, Kili came running out of the bushes and slashed his sword at the troll's leg. "Drop him!" he demanded.

"You what?" the troll said.

"I said, drop him!" Kili repeated.

Halien at that point jumped out of the tree, her arrow trained at the troll holding Bilbo. "You heard him, lads. Drop the hobbit and you may walk out of here alive."

The troll growled and tossed Bilbo at Kili. Just as Kili caught Bilbo, Thorin and the others of their company came charging out of the bushes. They hacked, cut, and swung their axes, shot rocks and arrows at the trolls, trying to drive them away. They went on like that for a while, but were forced to stop when two of the trolls grabbed Bilbo, each holding an arm and a leg.

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off!" one of them said.

Seeing no other option, Thorin, Halien, and the others laid down their weapons. The trolls forced them into sacks, tying them tightly. They threw them to the side, only tying about half of them to a spit and turning it over the fire.

The trolls began to argue about how to cook the dwarves, but when one of them mentioned that dawn was approaching and they didn't fancy being turn to stone, Halien smiled when Bilbo got an idea, hearing it as it popped into his head.

"Wait! Wait!" he said. "You are making a huge mistake!"

"You can't reason with them," Dori said. "They're half-wits!"

"Half-wits? What does that make us?" Bofur asked.

"I mean about the seasoning." Bilbo said, once he had managed to get himself up.

"What about the seasoning?" one troll asked.

"Well, have you smelled them?" Bilbo asked. "You're gonna need something a lot stronger than sage before you plank this one up."

"What does he know about cooking dwarf?" another troll said.

"Shut up." the other replied. "Let the, uh, flur-ber-er-a-hobbit talk."

"The, uh, secret to cooking dwarf is, uh..." Bilbo said, trying to think.

"Yes?" the troll said. "Come on! Tell us the secret!"

"Yes, the secret is... to skin them first!" Bilbo said.

The dwarves were enraged, yelling insults and retorts back at him. "I won't forget this," Dwalin said.

"Tom, get me filleting knife." the troll said.

Behind him, Gloin was threatening to skin Bilbo as the other troll said, "What a load of rubbish! I like them better with their skin on."

The third troll agreed. "He's right! Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf. Nice and crunchy." he grabbed Bombur, opening his mouth.

"Bombur!" Halien yelled.

"Not-Not that one, he's infected!" Bilbo said.

"He what?" one troll said.

"He's got worms in his... tubes." Bilbo explained as the troll threw Bombur back to the pile of dwarves, Bombur landing on Kili and Oin. "In fact, they all have. They're infested with parasites, it's a terrible business. I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."

"Parasites?" Oin asked. "Did he say that we have parasites?"

"We don't have parasites!" Kili said, freaking out.

Halien giggled to herself, knowing what Bilbo was doing. As the dwarves bickered amongst themselves, denying that they had parasites, Thorin heard her giggle and suddenly realized what Bilbo was doing and kicked Kili. Kili and the others stopped, realizing at that point as well and decided to play along.

"I've got parasites as big as my arms." Oin said.

"I've got the biggest parasites, I have huge parasites!" Kili said, the others soon joined in, saying how big their parasites were.

One of the trolls said, "What would you have us do? Let 'em all go?"

Bilbo thought about it for a moment. "Well..."

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing," the one troll said, advancing on Bilbo. "The ferret is taking us for fools!"

"Ferret?!" Bilbo asked, offended.

"Fools?!" the troll retorted.

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf said, coming to the top of the large rock behind the trolls.

"Who's that?" one troll said.

"No idea." said the second.

"Can we eat him, too?" said the third.

Then before they could do anything more, Gandalf struck the rock with his staff, cracking it down the center and the sunlight of the dawning day burst through, shining upon the trolls. The trolls screamed and writhed in pain, quickly turning to stone. Finally safe, Gandalf came down and helped the dwarves out of the sacks and to their feet.

Halien stretched and told Bilbo he did a great job, thinking on his feet. Behind them, Gandalf was pointing the same out to Thorin, adding that Bilbo was the only one of them to try and stall until daylight. She made sure that everyone was OK, using her healing magik to heal a few minor injuries. Gandalf was worried about the trolls coming that far south.

Halien made sure the others were all ok and she hugged Bombur, as best as she could, trying to comfort the poor dwarf. He thanked her silently and she felt Thorin watching her. Her smile faded and she walked away, to the horses and tried to comfort them, too, ignoring him all the while.

Thorin sighed, knowing that he should not have said what he had earlier to her. Gandalf had asked him about it, but he said it was nothing, not wanting to talk about it. Gandalf sensed the tensions and sighed.

"Whatever you did, Thorin, whatever you said, you need to fix it. We cannot have you and Halien sulking about and not focusing on the task at hand." he said. "She cares a great deal for you, Thorin, more than you or she may realize. You would do well to remember that."

Thorin knew he was right. He watched as Halien smiled as she talked to the horses. He tried to approach her but she ignored him and tugged at the reins and pulled Torwen along.

"I will scout ahead, look for signs of the troll cave." she said. "Or do you doubt me even still, sire?" She turned to glance back at Thorin, ice in her voice as she spoke. Thorin's face fell at that comment and he knew that he had to find a way to fix what he had done.

Thorin and the others followed her, watching as she checked for signs of the trolls. She found crushed branches and followed an acrid scent- all fresh from when they had come out for the night- that led her to the cave. She led the others to the cave and they went inside. Halien waited outside, keeping watch while the dwarves and Gandalf searched the caves. She climbed up into a tree and went up a few branches, scanning the area. After a few minutes, the dwarves and Gandalf exited the cave, some of them bearing new weapons. Halien admired the elvish blades they had acquired within the cave, but she heard something in the distance, getting closer and closer.

She and the others grouped together, drawing their weapons, waiting for whatever was coming. Out of the trees came Radagast, the Brown. He was searching for Gandalf. He spoke of a darkness that fell over the Greenwood, a sickness that refused to let anything grow. He spoke of giant spiders that came from the old abandoned fortress, Dol Guldur, and described the darkness and horrors he saw within the fortress. Gandalf listened to the tale and gave Radagast a puff of his Old Toby and asked if he was certain that it was a Necromancer. Radagast presented him with a blade, but then a howling came from nearby.

"Was that a wolf?" Bilbo asked. "Are there wolves around here?"

"A wolf, no, that's not a wolf!" Bofur replied.

A warg jumped upon them, but the dwarves quickly killed it. Gandalf asked Thorin who he had told of his quest when Thorin realized that there was a warg pack close.

"What in Durin's name is going on?" Thorin demanded.

"You are being hunted." Gandalf replied.

When Dwalin said they needed to get out of there, Ori told them that they couldn't, that the ponies had bolted. Halien worried for them, but she knew that if Torwen was with them that they would be safe. She heard a reassuring thought from her mare, but it was faint. She and the other mounts would be fine. Radagast said he would act as a decoy and that his Rhosgobel Rabbits could easily outrun the Gundabad Wargs. As the wizard led the pack away from the others, the company of Thorin Oakenshield ran for their lives. They had to change directions several times to avoid being seen by the pack. Kili shot one of the wargs and its rider when they reached an outcropping of rock, but it led the pack straight to them. They ran and ran, trying to escape the wargs, but soon they became surrounded and Gandalf had disappeared.

"Where is Gandalf?" someone cried.

"He has abandoned us!" Dwalin replied.

The dwarves got closer together as the wargs began to surround them. Halien and Kili shot arrows at their advancing enemy, trying to thin out their numbers. There were just so many. One of the wargs had snuck up behind Halien and its rider grabbed her braid, yanking her back. She cried out and Thorin turned to see as the Orc started to pull her up onto the warg. He tried to get to her, but a warg attacked him directly and when he turned back to check on her, Thorin and the others watched as Halien took her dagger and sliced through her braid, freeing herself. She turned and drew her sword, and in one swift movement, the elf maiden managed to decapitate both the warg and its rider. Finally free, she picked up and sheathed her bow- it having been knocked from her grasp when the Orc grabbed her- and glanced around her, finding an opening. She took it and ran, slicing at any foe that got in her way. Covered in their blood, Halien fought her way through several wargs and Orcs and managed to rejoin the dwarves.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin ordered, glad that she was safe. They circled up, Halien on Thorin's left while Dwalin stood at his right, and were beginning to think they were done for.

Popping out from behind a rock, Gandalf called to them and they ran towards him, sliding down the rock face into a cave. A horn blew outside and they heard arrows flying. Halien recognized the horn's call as Thorin pulled an elven arrow from the corpse of an Orc that had fallen into the cave.

The noise outside had ceased, so they followed the path ahead and came out on the edge of Rivendell. Halien smiled when she saw the familiarity of her people and breathed in the magik of the air around them. They made their way to the entrance into the city, being greeted by an elf, Galeon.

Gandalf said he needed to speak with Lord Elrond, but as he was told that Elrond was not there, a large company of elves rode in through the gates. They circled around the dwarves, causing the dwarves to huddle up and draw their weapons.

"Gandalf!" Elrond said as he came to a stop in front of them.

"My friend!" Gandalf replied in Elvish. "Where have you been?"

"We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the South." Elrond replied. "We slew a number near the Hidden Pass." He hugged Gandalf. "Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders." he then said in the Common Tongue.

Gandalf told him that it may have been their doing and Elrond welcomed Thorin and his company.

"Welcome, Thorin, son of Thrain. You have your grandfather's bearing."

"I do not believe that we have met." Thorin said.

"I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain." Elrond replied.

"Indeed? He made no mention of you." Thorin retorted.

"Thorin that is no way to speak to an elder, let alone someone who may offer us food, shelter, and safety while we are here." Halien said, glaring at him. "Forgive the young king's error, Lord Elrond. As you know, my father and Durin's folk are not on the best terms, which has caused quite a lot of mistrust between our peoples."

Elrond smiled when she spoke. "It is good to see you, Halien. It has been so long since last we spoke." he said in Elvish. "It shames me to think what your father could have been thinking, exiling you, but he must have his reasons and it is not my place to question that. Nevertheless, it is good to see you well."

Halien bowed as Elrond offered them food and shelter for the night. Gloin got very defensive, asking if the elven lord offered them insult. Gandalf translated for him, then when they dwarves discussed and agreed, Elrond led them into the courtyard.

He asked one of his maids to bring Halien a change of clothes and draw her a bath. Halien tried to decline the change of clothes- wanting nothing more than to scrub the grime of Orc and warg blood off her skin- but Elrond insisted and the maid brought out a bright purple gown with white accents and silver trimmings. Elrond left to go change himself for dinner and the maid helped Halien change out of her ranger clothes and into bath. The water was warm and felt good. The maid offered to help her wash her hair out and Halien accepted. The maid took the warm water and some fragrant soaps to scrub out the blood in her hair, gently rubbing it in. The soap smelled great, but the grime of blood turned the water black. When the maid was finished, she helped Halien out of the bath and dried her off before helping her into the gown. She brushed her hair and Halien looked into the looking glass hanging on the wall. Her once long and luxurious hair was gone and now it fell to the top of her shoulders. It was now slightly wavy, no longer long enough to braid and her obsidian black tips were long gone. She thought it looked OK, but she was going to miss having the long hair she had known for centuries. Halien thanked the maid, placed her headdress back upon her brow, and followed her out to the dining area where the dwarves were all seated and fidgeting through the greens set before them.

As Halien walked over to join Elrond, Thorin, and Gandalf at the main table, the dwarves stared in wonder at her. She was already a very beautiful woman, but the purple gown she wore was incredible and as they looked at her now short hair, they felt as if they were looking at a completely different person. They stared at her as she took her seat across from Thorin.

Kili had been looking at an elf maid with keen interest, but when he was caught by Dwalin, he tried to explain away that there wasn't enough hair on them and they had too high of cheek bones. He mentioned that an elf who passed behind him was "not bad", but Dwalin- with a straight face- pointed out that it was no elf maid that he was looking at. Kili blushed and tried to think of something else, but Bofur pointed out how beautiful Halien looked and asked if Kili agreed. Kili nodded and they went about trying to muster the courage to eat the greens.

Meanwhile, Elrond was telling Thorin and Gandalf what the names of the blades they had found in the troll horde. Thorin excused himself to join the others and Halien felt uncomfortable sitting with them, so she excused herself as well. She felt very overwhelmed at being back in a home setting and needed to breathe. Before she could leave though, Bofur hopped upon the table and asked if she would sing with him. The other dwarves felt like they were at a funeral with the soft music the elves played, so Halien agreed and she and Bofur started to sing a tune from the Blue Mountains.

"There's an inn, there's an inn, there's a merry old inn beneath an old grey hill. And they there brew a beer so brown the Man in the Moon himself came down one night to drink his fill. Oh, the ostler has a tipsy cat, who plays a five string fiddle; And up and down he saws his bow, now squeaking high, now purring low, now sawing in the middle. So, the cat and the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle, a jig that would wake the dead. He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune; while the landlord shook the Man in the Moon: 'It's after three!' he said."

As Halien and Bofur sang the old tune, the dwarves pounded their fists and feet. They laughed and threw food back and forth, but Halien managed to slip away before any of it could get onto her gown. Thorin had watched her dance with Bofur as they sang the tune and he smiled, glad to see her having fun and their companions enjoying themselves. They needed to blow off steam after what had happened that day. He took a swig from his flask and watched as Halien disappeared around a corner.

Halien walked through the halls to find a quiet spot to relax. She found a nice and secluded spot encircled by trees. She went over to the small fountain, sitting on the stone edge, and touched the surface of the water with her fingertips. She took a deep breath and summoned a small bit of her magik, pouring it gently into the water. She lifted her hand and guided the water out of the fountain. She moved her hands back and forth, making the water dance as she passed it from hand to hand.

At the entrance to the alcove, Thorin came around the corner and spotted her. He stood nearby in the archway that led to the secluded spot, having sought out solitude himself. He watched as she fluidly moved the water in different directions, maneuvering it in front of her, around her, and above her. He stepped into the little alcove and startled Halien, causing her to lose concentration which in turn made the water she was controlling fall down on her head, soaking her.

"Sire." she said, wringing out her hair as best as she could.

"I must apologize that I could not reach you in time, earlier. I tried to, but you managed to escape on your own. I am sorry about your hair."

Halien smiled a little. "I do not mind. I will have to get used to it, but I rather like it."

"As do I. You know, you are quite skilled in this magik of yours." Thorin said, coming to a stop next to her. "When you can concentrate."

Halien sighed. "What do you wish of me, sire?" she asked.

"I simply thought perhaps you would like some company." Thorin replied. "I can leave if you would rather be alone."

"No, sire, it's alright. I have been alone for so long that I dare not turn away the chance for company." she told him. When he stayed, she asked, "Why are you so harsh with me, Thorin? I have done nothing to you and I am not my father. You said so yourself the other night." She looked up at him. "Have I not proven myself to this company? Have I not proven myself to you?"

Thorin looked at her, her emerald green eyes glistening. "Halien, you have done more than enough to prove yourself. You are a valuable part of this company."

"Then why, Thorin? What have I done?"

Thorin sighed and sat down. "It is nothing that you have done. It is hard to look passed what your father did to my kin."

Halien put a hand on his arm. "I am not my father, Thorin. I have tried be everything but what he has become. I do not know what my father could have been thinking. You have seen this!"

Thorin felt comfort in her touch and looked into her eyes. She was beautiful, caring, protective, strong, held family, kin, and honor in the highest regard, and she was great with the others. They had accepted her as one of their own and she seemed as though she was more dwarf than she was an elf.

"Can you really think that little of me, sire?" Halien asked.

"You need not call me that." Thorin said. "You have no allegiance to me as your king. Your father is the only king you should show that respect to."

He started to look away, but Halien stopped him with a hand at his cheek. She looked him in the eye and said, "My father cast me out, exiled me from my home and people. He is not, nor will he ever again be my king. Thorin Oakenshield, I vow here and now, that you are the only king I want to follow."

Hearing that made Thorin smile, but he was surprised when she kissed his cheek. Halien started to stand- unsure what more to say or do- but Thorin pulled her back down, grabbed her face with his hand, and kissed her, his beard tickling her face. She was startled, but she immersed herself in his kiss. They lost themselves in the moment and when they pulled away from the kiss, they looked at each other and smiled softly.

"I have been aching to do that for so long." Thorin said. "I apologize if that is not what you wanted. I must also apologize for how I spoke to you before the troll incident. I was frustrated with the wizard and I took that out on you. It was unfair and will not happen again."

"Thorin, it's alright. I understand." Halien replied. "I am happy, though. I never would have thought you would even consider looking at an elf, let alone kissing one. I makes me believe that you _are_ able to look passed what my father did, enough to allow yourself to be happy."

Thorin put a hand to her cheek. "I am happy. Halien, I remember how beautiful you were the first time I saw you. You are even more beautiful now."

Halien looked at him in surprise. "You remember that? I did not think you had even recognized me in the Blue Mountains, not until Dorin had said my name."

Thorin chuckled. "I remember you. How could I forget your mithril and obsidian like hair? Though, now it is only mithril in appearance." he said with a chuckle.

"Again, is that the only part of me people remember, is my hair?" Halien asked, slightly disappointed. "This is why I wore a shawl for so long."

Thorin put a finger to her lips and continued. "I also remember how excited you were to be in Erebor, how beautiful you thought Dale and the halls of Erebor were. I remember you telling me that you had never before been outside of Mirkwood and was glad to have come to Erebor as an ambassador, leaving the forests of your homeland. I remember you climbing that pillar to get a better look at the halls and it is as clear to me now as if it had happened yesterday. I remember how the children loved you and clustered around you like you were their mother. They were as protective over you it seemed as you were of them."

"I had feared that my father's actions made you forget about me. You were so kind to me that day, showing me around the halls of your kingdom, but when my father..." Halien said, but she seemed sad.

Thorin placed his forehead against hers. "I could never forget such a gentle soul as yours. You are as kind as a hobbit, but as fierce as a dragon and you fight for what you believe is right, you protect those closest to you, you take care of others before yourself. You are strong, courageous, and beautiful."

Halien squeezed his hand. "And you are righteous, strong, brave, protective, and you put the needs of your kin before your own. You are leading this company to try and take back the home that was ripped from your grasp. They follow you not because you are the King under the Mountain, but because they know that they can trust you and they are confident in who you are as a person and your skills as a leader and warrior. You are their king, and you are mine."

Thorin smirked. "I am your king, am I?"

"You will always be my king, Thorin, son of Thrain. You will be a great king and you will rule Erebor for many, many years."

At that, Thorin kissed her once more and pulled her closer. He felt great comfort in her touch, her soft skin warm against his callused skin. It was surprising how soft her skin was after sixty years of hard work that he knew she had done, trying to prove herself to be a better person and elf than her father. Halien felt the whiskers of his beard tickle her cheeks and lips, but it was comforting. When they pulled away from the kiss, Halien kissed the dwarven king's forehead.

"We should get back," she said softly. "The others will begin to worry."

Thorin nodded and stood, pulling her up with him. He still had to look up at her, the elf maiden standing only a foot taller than him. She was still a young elf by her kin's standards; she had lived only two hundred and sixteen years. Since she was still so young, she was small for an elf, but just as beautiful and just as graceful as one. He smiled and they walked together. They talked over a few little things, like how Thorin liked Rivendell and how different it was to be in a place of constant peace after being on a dangerous and perilous road for so long. They laughed at a few things that were said, but before they knew it, they had arrived at the room Elrond had set aside for Halien.

"Thank you, Thorin." Halien said and kissed his cheek.

"For what?"

"Even now, when we are in a place more like my home than yours, you still show me the same kindness you did the day we met. You give me hope for the future, as you did before."

Thorin smiled. "I have merely given you what I can to make you welcome amongst the company." With that he bade Halien goodnight and walked through the halls to the room set aside for him.

Halien changed out of her gown and set it aside on a chair, the slipped into a nightgown that was so soft and lightweight that it would seem as though one could freeze without additional covers. The fabric was enchanted, though, and its lightweight nature was deceiving for how warm it was to wear. She pulled back the covers of her bed and climbed into the soft bedding, pulling the thick covers over her. She sent a silent goodnight to her companions, wishing them a good night's sleep, then she closed her eyes and was fast asleep within minutes.

The next morning, Halien dressed in her ranger clothes, wishing to save the gown for dinner only, then made her way to the stables to hello to the horses housed within the large stable, then promised to be back with treats for them later. She left the stables, missing Torwen, and decided to explore Rivendell a bit, learning about its structure and finding its secrets. She overheard Elrond speaking with another elf about the kitchen becoming worn, their food and wine stores becoming depleted. She smiled a bit when she saw the look they each had on their faces as they watched the naked dwarves play another game of chicken in one of their fountains.

Halien spent most of the day exploring the buildings, finding hiding places and other secret things. When the night had fallen, she and the others enjoyed another dinner and song before they went to bed. Halien again undressed, laying the gown on the chair and slipping into the nightgown. She got into bed, falling asleep quickly, but it did not last long.

Halien's peaceful dream quickly turned dark as she went from running through the woods of Greenwood to the burning halls of Erebor. She watched a scene of her companions as they fought the dragon, Smaug, and she cried out when she watched them burn to ash in the dragon's flame. She tried to use her elemental magik to control the dragon's fire, trying to redirect it as she had in the past when her mother fell and keep it from hurting her kith. But, the flames were too powerful and she was powerless to stop her comrades from falling to the wrath of the dragon. One by one they fell, some burned to a crisp by the flame, others with gaping wounds in their chests and backs. She ran to try and save Thorin and Bilbo, who had somehow avoided the initial blaze. Before she could reach them, though, Smaug threw another ball of fire at them and she cried out as Bilbo was engulfed in the flames. She managed to pull Thorin out of the way, but only to lose him to a sweep of the dragon's tail sending him flying into the stone walls. Thorin hit the stone and crumpled to the floor, his body broken. Halien screamed and ran to him, gently pulling him into her lap as she summoned every ounce of her healing magik. She poured it into Thorin's body, trying to heal him as best as she could, but it wasn't working. She threw up a wall of stone to try and shield them from the next burst of dragon's fire that came their way, but she still could not heal Thorin. She called out his name and tried to wake him up, but he was already gone, reunited with his ancestors and his family. She cried out his name, tears staining her ashen face, and as she realized that all was lost, Smaug came around the stone wall and smirked. Halien held the dwarven king to her and closed her eyes as the final breath of fire raged around her, searing her flesh. A white flash passed before her and she woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air.

Looking around, Halien realized it was just a dream, but that did not satisfy her. She opened the door to her room and ran out through the door and down the hall to Thorin's room. The door was closed, but it was unlocked, and she quickly opened the door to find Thorin standing at the window, his arms crossed and unharmed. Thorin spun around to see what was going on, the door opening startling him.

Halien panted, having run faster in a short distance as she ever had, her hair hanging in a mess around her face. "Thank Durin that you are safe." She said and rushed to him, pulling him into her arms.

"Halien, what is it?" he asked her, his hands on her hips.

Halien gazed down at him, seeing his concern through her tears. She shook her head and could not contain the tears, falling to her knees. Thorin knelt with her, holding her hands in his.

"What happened, Halien? Tell me." he begged her.

"I had a dream, Thorin." she started to say. "I dreamed of Greenwood, how I used to run free through the woods, but it shifted to a large chamber in Erebor. We were fighting the dragon, but whatever we did to bring him down failed. I watched as the others burned to ash in the dragon's fire or were gashed open by his claws. Only you and Bilbo remained, but Bilbo was the next to fall. I could not reach him in time, but I managed to pull you out of the way as more fire came. I thought you'd be safe, if only for a moment, but then the dragon hit you with his tail and you were thrown into the wall. You fell to the floor, body broken, and nothing I could do brought you back. I held you, called out to you, tried to bring you back, but I failed. I lost you, Thorin. You had faded and rejoined your father and grandfather in the next life. Then Smaug came to claim me and I woke up when a white flash appeared before me."

Thorin pulled her into his arms, trying to comfort her.

"I was so afraid, Thorin. It felt so real." Halien said as he stroked her hair. "I had to be certain it was only a dream and that you were safe."

Thorin hugged her. "I am safe, Halien. And no dragon will ever take me." he said, trying to comfort her and stood up.

Halien let him help her up. "I am sorry to have disturbed you, sire. I was just so fearful for you that I had to be certain that you were alright."

Thorin reached up and brushed aside a tear before he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I will always be safe when you are with me."

Halien smiled at that, but she could still feel the fear from her dream. She stood and started to leave, turning towards the door. "I do not think I can sleep, not after this, but I should not bother you any longer." she said, tears in her eyes again at the thought of being alone. "I shall return to my room."

Thorin stood aside, not sure what to say or do, and let her pass. He didn't know what else to do, but he reached out for her arm and stopped her. "Halien, don't leave. I don't want you to be alone right now. You can sleep here with me."

Halien looked at him. "Are you sure?"

Thorin nodded. "Aye, you are still shaken and I want to make sure that you are OK."

Halien smiled gratefully. "Thank you, little king."

Thorin grasped her hand gently and pulled her towards the bed. He pulled the covers aside and let Halien lay down before pulling the covers over her.

"Will you stay here with me?" she asked, sitting up on her elbow.

Thorin smiled and nodded, sliding under the covers with her. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in closer.

'Thank you, Thorin.' she said as she started to drift back to sleep, her head resting against the dwarf king's chest.

Thorin kissed her hair and breathed in her scent of cherry blossoms and peaches. 'My pleasure.' he replied, then closed his eyes. Before he knew it, Thorin Oakenshield was fast asleep with Halien Greenleaf passed out against his chest.

After some time, in the wee hours before dusk, Thorin began to toss and turn. He was having another nightmare of the Battle of Azanulbizar. Around him, hundreds of dwarves fought thousands of Orcs. Death was around him, much of his kin falling to the Pale Orc. He watched again as his grandfather's head was thrown to his feet. He remembered the fear and anger he felt, but he stood against Azog the Defiler and fought him back, wielding only a sword and an oaken branch. He watched as he and his kin charged the Orc ranks, but as the battle ensued, he felt a sudden pain that woke him up, his chest heaving. He looked around, gathering his surroundings. It was only a dream and he was thankful for that. Looking to his side, Thorin smiled when he saw Halien next to him. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then slid out of bed and went to the window. He leaned against the frame and looked at the moon, the very moon that had revealed the moon runes that would lead them to the hidden door into the Lonely Mountain. He tried to shake the memory of that battle, and after he gathered his thoughts, he went back to bed and tried to sleep some more.

The next morning, Thorin woke up to the sun light shining in through the window and a knock at the door. Balin opened the door, asking if he was awake. When Thorin sat up, Balin bid him a good morning.

"What is it, Balin?" Thorin asked.

"Well, we were beginning to get worried when we didn't see you for breakfast. Halien wasn't there either, though I think she may still be in bed."

Thorin got out of bed and walked over the wash bin to splash some cold water onto his face. "She is." he said, looking at the elf maiden next to him.

Balin looked at him and sighed. "Thorin," he said in a hushed tone. "Are you certain about the lass? You're from different worlds, even if she has become more dwarf than elf at this point."

Thorin looked at him and nodded. "Balin, she is everything I could hope for in a woman. She is strong, brave, an experienced warrior and a skilled healer. She cares for this company like no one else. She is beautiful, a great hunter, highly intelligent and wise- perhaps as intelligent and wise as you-and she has an amazing voice. Her gifts make her special and set her apart from all others. She has given up everything to aid us in this quest."

"Do you love her?" Balin asked.

Thorin nodded, looking over at her. "Aye, I love her."

"Well, at least you have looked past her elven nature and the actions her father took. I can see how much you care for each other, but I had to be certain." Balin said.

Thorin put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Thank you, Balin."

Balin smiled and left the room, mentioning that he would think of something to tell the others. He also said that the elf maiden out in the hall had some extra breakfast waiting for him. Thorin went to the door, taking the tray from the elf who waited patiently. He thanked her and brought the tray over to the bed. He sat on the bed and ate breakfast, looking out the window at the beautiful day. He hoped that Halien was alright after what happened the night before.

Down the hall, Halien was woken up by something that she could not figure out. She got out of bed and slipped into a beautiful black and blue gown with white accents that had been laid out for her. The purple gown had been cleaned and put on the side table, folded and ready to be packed away. She pinned her hair back as best as she could with its current length, holding it in place with a beautiful leaf hair pin. With her hair being shorter, her bangs hung around her face, framing it on either side. She ruffled her hair a bit and tucked the smaller portion behind her ear. Smiling, she left her room and walked through the halls to be joined by Thorin as he came out in his usual attire. He complimented her new gown and she smiled, blushing a little, then placed a gentle hand on on her shoulder.

"Mmm..."

Thorin smiled as Halien stirred. "Good morning, Halien. It's time to get up."

"Already?" she asked, sitting up.

Thorin nodded. "Aye, and someone brought us breakfast."

Halien smiled and ate breakfast with him, then went to her room to get ready for the day.

After a while as the day progressed, Thorin excused himself and went to find Elrond. He wished to speak with him about using his forge. Halien watched as he walked away, but she turned back and managed to duck in time as a fist full or two of muck came flying at her. She used her elemental magik to redirect it back to Fili and Kili, who had thrown it, and laughed when it smacked them each in the face. The other dwarves laughed, some falling over, as Fili and Kili looked at each other's faces, covered in muck.

"Let me get that for you, lads." she said and guided some water from a nearby fountain towards them. She positioned it above them and threw down her hands, letting the water drench the brothers much like the water she controlled the other night had when Thorin startled her. The dwarves roared with laughter as Fili and Kili smirked before they grabbed Halien and tossed her into the fountain behind her. Halien was soaked, her gown thankfully not ruined, but she accepted the brothers' hands as they helped her out of the fountain.

"Fair is fair, Halien, though we have no magik." Kili said.

"I know, but if you had, what use would there be for me?" she replied, laughing.

The dwarves and the young elf maiden decided to find something a little "cleaner" to do, so they went to a small courtyard and decided to have a sparring match. They decided that weapons and hand to hand combat were welcome, though archery weapons were not allowed. They agreed to do two-on-two and one-on-one rounds, Balin keeping score. Dwalin and Nori were up first. They chose to fight with their fists, grappling with each other and ended up turning things into a wrestling match. Halien watched as the two rolled around on the courtyard floor. She clapped and cheered with the others when Dwalin had Nori pinned down, forcing Nori to tap out. Next was Bifur and Bofur versus Fili and Kili. They chose to use their swords and hammers and axes, the usual weapons they carried. They dodged each other's attacks, managed to nick each other a few times, and finally, it was decided that Bifur and Bofur won that round. Halien healed the small nicks, cuts, and bruises and looked up when Elrond came up.

"You seem to have found another way to pass your time by." Elrond said.

Halien stood and bowed to the elven lord. "It is better than having a mud or food fight."

Elrond smiled and nodded at that. "Perhaps I can test your skills, Halien."

"My lord?"

"I would like you to have a duel with me. I have heard your skills have become quite excellent over the years, as they should with a teacher like Tauriel. I wish to test them."

Halien smiled and nodded. "If that is your wish, my lord, then I gladly accept." She stepped out into the center of the courtyard, drawing her sword.

Elrond took his own sword from its scabbard and took a stance. Halien mimicked it, then with fascinating speed, the dwarves watched as the two elves lunged at each other, swinging and slashing their swords. The elvish metal sparked with each fluid strike and the dwarves watched as the two elves spun and seemed to dance in this sparring match. For a while, it looked as though Halien was weaker than the elf lord, but Dwalin was beginning to see that she was biding her time and analyzing his movements. He grinned when Elrond lunged and Halien parried his attack, sliding her blade against his and spinning it out of his hand. She caught it and stopped him in his tracks, both swords in her hands as she pointed them towards his neck.

"I concede, Halien." Elrond said as the dwarves cheered. "Your skills have indeed greatly improved. You have bested me at one of my best skills and I am proud of you. You have become quite the warrior."

Halien smiled and bowed, handing the sword back to him. He excused himself and the dwarves gathered around Halien, congratulating her. She smiled and laughed with them as they began to challenge her to a match. Halien accepted, beating each of them. They knew that she could hold her own and they knew that they should never mess with her for they would meet their end at her hands.

Halien decided to excuse herself and wandered through the halls. She saw smoke in the forge and went to see what was going on. Before she could reach the forge, though, Bofur came up to her and steered her away with conversation.

"Halien, lass! That was some fighting you showed us. I didn't realize you were so good."

"Bofur, you should know by now how skilled of a swordsman I am. You have seen me fight before."

"Aye, you were good, but I have never seen you fight like that. What I saw today would most definitely save our skins against the dragon."

Halien's smile faded away a bit as she remembered her nightmare.

"What's wrong?" Bofur asked.

"Nothing, I just had a nightmare, the other night, and you mentioning Smaug reminded me of it."

"What happened in your dream?"

Halien looked at her friend. "It was horrible enough to where you may not want to hear it. Do you remember how Bilbo first reacted when you described Smaug that night we met in his home?"

"Aye."

"Think of how you described the dragon, but imagine what he could do to us. Imagine the devastation he could do to our company with one breath of flame. Then imagine that doubled. That is how my nightmare was. It felt so real..."

Bofur put a hand on her arm. "Whatever happens in Erebor, we will not fail. We will beat that fire breathing lizard and reclaim what is ours. We will take back our home and I hope that you will stay with us. I hope you can make Erebor your home."

Halien bent down and hugged the dwarf. "I hope so, too. When my father exiled me from my home, I had nowhere to go. After the Grotsnev clan died, I tried to find a new home, but instead found myself wandering from place to place, trying to find work."

Bofur nodded and knew exactly how she felt. "Well if you hadn't, we'd have never met you and come to care for you like kin." He excused himself and walked away. Halien smiled and turned when someone cleared their throat. She saw Gandalf standing behind her.

"Mithrandir?"

"I watched your little game with the dwarves. Quite impressive, my dear."

Halien smiled. "Thank you, Mithrandir."

"Will you walk with me? I want to show you something."

Halien nodded and walked side by side with the wizard. They walked to a part of Rivendell near the waterfalls, on the outskirts of the buildings. Gandalf pointed to a broken statue of a woman.

"Do you think you can use your magik to repair that statue?"

Halien shrugged. "Perhaps."

"Give it a try. I wish to see how good your elemental magik has become."

Halien nodded and went to the statue. She ran her hands over it, looking at it. Then, she focused her magik on the broken pieces and willed them to levitate. She guided them into their places and used the earth and stone magik to mend the broken pieces. It took her awhile, but Halien was finally able to reconstruct the statue and when she stepped back, her eyes widened.

"Mother..." she whispered.

"Yes," Gandalf said. "She was well loved here in Rivendell as much as she was in Mirkwood. Lord Elrond had this statue of her made shortly after she died. He wanted to commemorate what she did for Rivendell and monumentalize her importance. It is here that she is remembered. Your father seems to have forgotten her or simply does not wish to have any reminder of her."

Halien felt tears in her eyes as she touched her mother's face. She had perished at the wrath of a dragon. Halien could remember it so clearly.

She turned to Gandalf and hugged him. "Thank you for showing me this. I never thought to see my mother's face again. It may only be stone, but I appreciate it."

Gandalf hugged the young elf back and excused himself when she asked to have some time to herself.

Halien stood there, staring at the statue of her mother for hours it seemed until an elf servant came to tell her it was time for dinner.


	5. Chapter 5

With dinner ready, the company all gathered in the usual dining area and began to eat the food prepared, joined by Elrond.

As dinner began to progress, the dwarves began to beat on the table like drums. Halien recognized the beat and smiled. Bofur looked up at her and called, "Lass, you know this one. Care to sing us the tune?"

Halien smiled and began to sing. "Far over the Misty Mountains rise. Leave us standing upon the heights. What was before, we see once more as our kingdom a distant light. Fiery mountain beneath the moon. The words unspoken, we'll be there soon. For home a song that echoes on. And all who find us will know the tune. Some folk we never forget. Some kind we never forgive. Haven't seen the back of us yet. We'll fight as long as we live. All eyes on the hidden door, To the Lonely Mountain borne. We'll ride in the gathering storm. Until we get our long-forgotten gold."

Halien stood and started to move to the center of the dining area as Bofur beckoned her over to dance. She began to move to the beat of the music, stepping lightly as she sang and the dwarves began to clap to the beat.

"We lay under the Misty Mountains cold, In slumbers deep and dreams of gold. We must awake, our lives to make. And in the darkness a torch we hold. From long ago when lanterns burned, Till this day our hearts have yearned. Her fate unknown, the Arkenstone. What was stolen must be returned." She spun lightly on her feet and began to sing a soft note before the words came again. "We must awake and make the day, To find a song for heart and soul. Some folk we never forget, Some kind we never forgive. Haven't seen the end of it yet. We'll fight as long as we live. All eyes on the hidden door, To the Lonely Mountain borne. We'll ride in the gathering storm, Until we get our long-forgotten gold. Far away from Misty Mountains cold."

She bowed when the song ended and the dwarves clapped their hands. Even the elves who watched her dance and sing were impressed. Halien smiled and saw Thorin standing by an archway, looking at her.

'I have something for you, if you can slip away.' Thorin thought to her, knowing she would be able to hear him.

Halien lowered her mind shield long enough to hear him say that and then she nodded, noticing that Elrond had disappeared somewhere as she raised her shield once more. She excused herself and walked over to Thorin. She followed him in silence as he led her to the secluded spot they had first kissed.

"You look beautiful, Halien." he said, looking at her in the black and blue gown. "I made this for you, in the forge."

He took her left hand in his and slid a ring onto her finger. Halien looked at it and gasped. It was a silver ring made of a cross between elvish and dwarvish design and it had a large moonstone set in the center, bridled on either side by emeralds.

"Thorin, it is gorgeous!" she said, then looked at him.

"This is Reva. There is an old legend of a star that once fell to Middle Earth and crashed deep within the mountains. The dwarves of ancient times found it and thought it to be beautiful, shining bright like the moon. It is said that this star is the first of the moonstones to ever have existed. In the ancient dwarvish tongue, Reva means moonstar."

"Thorin, I don't know what to say…"

"Halien, I have spent most of my life hating your people." he began. "But these past months you have shown me that there is hope for elves and dwarves to once more live without hatred or distrust. I have grown to admire you as a person, as well as your skills. You are a skilled warrior and healer, you care for this company more than I ever expected you to and we all have grown to view you as kin. I love you with all my heart. I never thought that I would find happiness for anyone but my people, yet you have stolen my heart. If you accept this ring, Lord Elrond has agreed to wed us tonight. I do not know where this quest will lead us, what paths we may have to take to reach Erebor, but I do not want to face it without you."

Halien felt a rushing warmth reach from her stomach to her cheeks as he bent down on one knee, her left hand in his.

He kissed her hand and looked up at her. "Halien, daughter of Thranduil, will you do me the greatest honor and be my wife and queen?"

Halien felt tears in her eyes as she nodded. "Yes, Thorin Oakenshield, a million times yes."

Thorin smiled and stood, kissing her. Lord Elrond came around the corner at that point and smiled.

"Shall we begin?"

Thorin nodded and with that, Lord Elrond began the wedding ceremony. It was a small, simple one, but Halien was still arguably the happiest one there. The elf lord spoke in the Common tongue so that Thorin could understand it and he went through each section slowly, so that Thorin and Halien could understand what they were getting themselves into. When it came time for the vows, Elrond let the two say their own.

Thorin began with his, "Halien, you are everything I could hope for in a woman. You are intelligent and wise, strong, brave, a great warrior and a skilled healer. You care for this company like no one else. You are beautiful, a great hunter, and you have an amazing voice. Your gifts make you special and set you apart from all others. You have given up everything to aid us in this quest. I thought not to find my own happiness, not to ever marry in my lifetime, but the day I met you in Erebor was a special one. You showed excitement at the halls, you showed great interest in what my people were doing and you wanted to be a part of it. You showed a love that none outside of the citizens of Erebor ever showed for my home and when your father took you away from Erebor, I thought all would be lost. Then when I saw you again in Mr. Baggins' home, I began to hope again that perhaps together, we could rebuild the alliance your father had broken. You have done so much to prove to me and to my people and kin that you are not your father and for that I am grateful. I want you to find a home in Erebor, someday, but more so a home at my side as my wife and queen."

Halien smiled and began her vows, "Thorin Oakenshield, you put me through much grief when we met again in Bilbo's home. I had thought to never again see the kind dwarf prince you had been when you showed me the way around Erebor, but over these past months, I have come to see it more and more as your trust in me grew, always finding new ways to test me. You have accepted me like kin, never turned me aside, and you have shown me the strength and resilience of dwarves, time and again. You are a wonderful leader. You have earned the respect and loyalty the others in this company give you. You hold courage, honor, family, and loyalty above all else and would most definitely do anything to make sure that we all make it to Erebor alive and try to get us all home safely. You are a good man and a great king, though you may not yet realize how great. I do not see you ever falling to the sickness that overtook your father and grandfather before you; you are too strong willed for that. I believe in you wholeheartedly and will always follow you, my king. I love you more than anything in this world, Thorin, son of Thrain. I would be the happiest woman alive to be your wife and queen."

Thorin smiled as Elrond looked between the two, never having thought to ever wed an elf and a dwarf in Rivendell, but he was happy for them none the less. "Halien, with the ring, Reva, he has made for you within the halls of our forge, do you accept Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, as your husband, through sickness and health, for as long as you both shall live?"

Halien nodded and said, "I do."

Elrond turned to Thorin. "And Thorin, with the ring, Reva, you have given her, do you accept Halien, daughter of Thranduil, as your wife, through sickness and health, for as long as you both shall live?"

Thorin nodded and said, "I do."

"Then, by the power I hold as lord of Rivendell, I pronounce you as husband and wife. May your lives be happy and prosperous together and may you face down each challenge and each foe together as one."

Halien and Thorin kissed to end the ceremony. Elrond congratulated them, then suggested they return to dinner. They nodded and followed him back to where the others were still eating.

'Thorin,' Halien said, reaching out to him with a thought. 'Will we tell the others?'

'For now, it may be best not to. Balin knows, but as for the others, I do not know how they will take it. I am certain that they will accept it, however. They see you just as much kin to them as you have seen them to be to you.'

'But until we are ready, we keep this a secret?'

'That may be best, for now at the least.'

'Very well, my little king.'

Thorin smirked at that, having grown fond of the pet name.

They rejoined the others and enjoyed the rest of their evening. When the feast was at an end and the night was growing older, the dwarves wandered off to their usual spot for the night. Bilbo went to join them, but decided to go for a walk before he did. Thorin and Halien went off to Thorin's room.

When they reached his room, Halien saw that all of her things had been brought into the room. She smiled and silently thanked Elrond for wedding them and making them so welcome and comfortable here. A thought came back to her that welcomed her and wished her a good night. She smiled and helped Thorin to the bed. He was only a little tipsy, but enough to fall over himself a bit. Thorin sat down on the bed and Halien pulled off his boots. She set them aside and began to unbuckle his belt and remove his robes. She set them aside as Thorin watched her move with grace around the room. She moved to the window and drew it shut, pulling the curtains closed.

"Halien, come here." Thorin said, reaching out a hand to her.

Halien smiled and went to his side. Thorin took her hand and spun her onto the bed, making her gasp a little in surprise. He gazed at her, taking in every detail as if he would never see her again. He traced her face, running his fingers along her jaw, her forehead, her cheeks, her lips. He smiled softly at her and tucked away a strand of hair that had fallen loose.

"You are so beautiful..." he said, kissing her lightly.

Halien smiled and touched his cheek. He seemed weary, like he had been holding back his emotions and now he could finally release them.

"Are you happy?" he asked her.

"Of course I am happy, my love. I couldn't be more pleasantly surprised at the lengths you went to get us here, to this moment. I love you and nothing will ever change that." she replied and moved her hand to his chest. "My heart is yours to keep as long as you wish it."

"Then I shall never give it back." he replied with a smile and kissed her. He pressed his lips down firmly on hers and ran a hand up her gown and down her leg.

The two immersed themselves in the kiss for a moment before Halien sat up to stand. She turned to face him and undid the back of her gown. She let it fall to the floor around her and Thorin gaped at her naked body. He never truly realized how slender she was, how soft her skin was. Halien was a little shy about showing her whole body to him, so she wrapped her arms around herself, as if to hide from him. He stood and went to her, feeling her soft skin as he gently moved her arms away.

"You do not need to hide from me, Halien." He said as he let Halien undo the ties of his trousers and remove his tunic, letting them fall to the floor next to her gown. He led her to the bed again and pulled back the covers. They slid underneath and lay next to each other, feeling the warmth of their naked bodies. Thorin felt even more enchanted by the beauty of her body than he had been when he first met the elven beauty and he kissed her.

They kissed each other vigorously, each one more passionate than the last. Thorin ran his hands all over her body, her soft skin arousing him. He ran his hands up and down her arms, her sides, her legs. He rubbed her loins and kissed her breasts, making her gasp and moan. Halien had never felt such pleasure and felt as if her whole body was going to burst into flames. She kissed her new husband over and over, pushing him onto his back and straddling him. Thorin grunted with the force she used, but he kind of liked it. He let her straddle him, arousing him even more. Halien bent over and kissed him more, pressing her breasts against his muscular chest. Thorin ran his hands up her arms and down her sides to her hips, grunting a little when Halien slid his manhood inside of her. She winced in pain as she felt her virginity breaking, but began to rock her hips back and forth, Thorin's hands feeling every muscle moving as she got past the pains.

Halien put her hands on his chest and moved her hips slowly at first, but the more pleasure they both felt, the faster Thorin seemed to urge her to move. She moved her hips faster and faster, then in circles, making Thorin moan. She looked down at him and smiled. He was enjoying this as much as she was. He pulled her down for a kiss or two, but then they both felt themselves reaching their climaxes. Halien sat up and rocked her hips faster and faster until she felt the release of Thorin's seed explode inside of her. She panted, feeling as though the pleasure may be too much for her to handle, but then, Thorin rolled her over onto her back and took his turn.

Thorin rocked his hips back and forth, his manhood still hard and his appetite for sexual attention not yet satisfied. He placed his hands on either side of his new wife as Halien's arms wrapped around him. He kissed her and moved his hips faster, penetrating her womb harder. Halien gasped and moaned, which only seemed to arouse Thorin more. Faster and harder he moved his hips, his manhood sliding in and out of her loins. He began to reach his climax again, which surprised him, so he went as fast and hard as he could until he felt his seed explode into her womb again.

Their bodies quivering, they lay back on the bed. Halien rested her head against Thorin's chest and Thorin wrapped an aching arm around her. They panted and listened to each other's hearts as they pounded against their chests. Hours seemed to have passed, the night getting well past midnight. Halien sighed in content as Thorin kissed her hair.

"I never thought to see you like this, Thorin. You have always been gruff and hard towards people, always so focused. You never seemed to give anyone you didn't already know the light of day, but here you are with me."

"I never thought I would find happiness like this, let alone with an elf. You opened a new door for me and I would never change it for all the treasure in Erebor."

Halien smiled and hugged him. Even when they were laying down, she was still taller than him, even if it was only a few inches. She didn't mind though; she liked to curl up next to him. They decided to go to sleep for the night, so they closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Over the next few days or so, Gandalf and Elrond were beginning to get anxious. Elrond feared that Thorin would succumb to the same sickness of the mind that consumed his father and grandfather. At some point, Gandalf had come up to the rest of the company and told them that when he went to speak with Lord Elrond next, they were to slip away from Rivendell and continue on their quest. They had been there near a week and it was time for them to move on, but he feared that if the elves were to see them off that they would be stopped. He instructed them to wait for him at the mountain pass. He left that evening to speak with Lord Elrond and told the company to be ready to leave at dawn.

Thorin and Halien gathered their things together and made certain they were ready to leave in the morning. Thorin had asked Balin to come and wake them. They lay there on their sides for a while as the night progressed, staring at the fire as it danced in the hearth of the room. Thorin held onto Halien from behind, propping himself up on an elbow as she rested her head against her arm.

"Thorin, do you think we can succeed in this quest?" she asked.

Thorin looked at her. "Are you doubting that we can?"

"No, it is just that we will face many obstacles, including the possibility of having to travel through Mirkwood. There is so much in our way that it would seem impossible to do. I believe that we can if we stick together and look out for one another."

"Then we have nothing to worry about." he replied kissing her ear.

It tickled her a little, his whiskers brushing against the edge of her pointed ear. She looked at him over her shoulder and he met her with a kiss. He began to caress her arm and moved his hand to her breast as he kissed her neck. She moaned a little in pleasure and reached behind her to rub his groin. She smiled when she felt his arousal grow bigger and harder. Thorin felt as though he could not resist her and he slid a hand under her knee, hoisting her leg up as he slid himself inside of her. He wrapped his arm around her thigh and began to move his hips back and forth. He continued to caress her breast as he slid his manhood in and out of her loins, becoming more aroused as she gasped and moaned in pleasure.

Halien turned her head and kissed him as he began to ram her harder and harder. She felt his manhood growing harder and larger as Thorin's speed picked up, which led to them gasping in pleasure.

'Your body is so soft, Halien. I can barely contain myself.' Thorin thought to her.

'Give me more, my king. Take me, for I am yours.' she replied.

And take her he did. Thorin squeezed his arm tightly around her thigh and quickened his pace. He reached his climax and Halien felt the now familiar warm rush of his seed entering her womb. Thorin pulled out of her and set her thigh down before he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him.

'Halien, I do not know what I would have done without you. I never thought to experience this much pleasure and joy with a woman.'

Halien smiled and put a hand on his forearm. 'I have given myself to you, heart, body, and soul. I would give anything to please you.'

Thorin smiled and kissed her neck before he settled down behind her. Halien felt his warm breath on her neck and found it reassuring. Soon she heard him snoring a little and knew he was asleep. She let him sleep, knowing that after this, they would no longer have the comforts of a bed but must return to their battered bed rolls strewn across the ground in the wilds. Nestling in closer to her husband, the young elf soon drifted off to sleep herself.

The next morning, just before dawn, Balin knocked on their door. He opened it and watched as Thorin sat up, a hand to his head.

"It is time, Thorin. We must leave."

Thorin nodded and thanked Balin as he closed the door and went to rejoin the others. Looking beside him, Thorin smiled when he saw Halien still asleep. He touched her face and stroked her cheek, feeling like he was the happiest man in the world. His smile grew bigger when he saw the flash of white and green glinting off of her wedding ring as she rolled onto her back and opened her eyes, sleepily.

"Is it time for us to be on our way?"

"Yes. We should get dressed quickly; we have to leave quietly before anyone else is awake."

Halien nodded and the two slid out of bed, their feet touching the cold stone floor. They quickly got dressed after pulling their underclothes on: Thorin in his usual blue hooded robes and tunic and Halien in her usual ranger clothes. She folded the gowns that were loaned to her and set them aside before she made sure that they had everything. They had prepared the night before, but she had to be certain. When she was, she pulled two apples from her food pack and handed one to Thorin.

"It is not much of a breakfast, but it will give us strength until we need to stop again." she said.

Thorin nodded and led the way when they were ready to join the others. Halien had pulled her cloak on and clipped the elven brooch into place. She shouldered her packs and when they had joined the others, Thorin led the way out of Rivendell and up to the mountain pass, where he told Balin to take over the lead. He mentioned that Bilbo should keep up with them, but his tone was harsh. Halien gave him a concerned look and Thorin told her with a thought that he needed to be like that with the hobbit. He was needed on this quest and Bilbo needed to be ready to leave the comforts of home behind him and look ahead. Halien nodded, understanding, and brought up the rear of the company line.

The company traveled for many miles over plains and hills, up into the Misty Mountains. They donned their furs as they reached higher and higher into the mountains. Bilbo was beginning to get cold feet, so Halien asked the company to hold for a moment before she took some fabric and wrapped his feet.

"This should help some, Bilbo. Hobbits are not accustomed to this type of terrain." she said.

Bilbo thanked her and they continued on their way. They made it to a mountain pass, safely as they could, but a torrential rainstorm battered at them, making the pass slippery and dangerous. To make matters worse, lightning began to strike and the mountains began to move. It was a thunder battle between stone giants.

"Well, bless me..." Bofur said, in disbelief. "The legends are true! Giants, stone giants!"

They tried to escape the battle, but the company was split in two groups- Thorin with one and Halien with the other- as the mountain they were traveling upon stood and they realized they were at the knees of a stone giant that had joined the battle. As the giants fought each other, the giant they were on hit a mountain side and Thorin's group managed to jump onto a ledge, escaping the giants' wrath. Halien and her group were still trapped on the other knee of the giant and when it fell, the giant's knee slammed into the side of the mountain. Thorin cried out, fearing the worst for his wife and the others. When the giant moved on, Thorin and his group hurried to the area where the giant's knee fell and sighed in relief when they saw Halien and her group safe against the wall of the mountain.

"Halien!" Thorin cried as he ran to her, pulling her into his arms. "I thought I lost you!"

Halien buried her face in his hair. "I am fine, Thorin. The others are all safe?"

Thorin nodded and Bofur looked around.

"Where's Bilbo?"

They looked around and found Bilbo hanging from the edge, about to lose his grip. The dwarves scrambled to reach him, but he was too far away. Thorin climbed down a tiny distance and grabbed hold of Bilbo as his grip failed him. Thorin managed to hoist him up high enough for the others to grab him, but as he tried to climb back up himself, his slipped. Halien cried out to him while Dwalin grabbed him.

"I thought we lost our burglar!" Dwalin said.

"He's been lost ever since he left home." Thorin said, his tone ragged and harsh. "He should never have come. He has no place amongst us."

Thorin turned, ignoring Halien's words as she tried to tell him it was not necessary for him to say such things, and found a small cave. They made camp, but there was no fire that night, so Bofur took first watch and the others tried to get some sleep.

Sometime in the night, Bilbo had tried to sneak away. Halien hadn't really fallen asleep, so she looked up when Bilbo stepped over her. Bofur was still on watch and asked where he was going. Bilbo explained that he was going back to Rivendell, that he didn't belong there. Bofur tried to tell him that he couldn't leave, that he was part of the company. Halien came over and put a hand on Bilbo's shoulder.

In a hushed voice she said, "Bilbo, it is alright. I know that you feel as though you do not belong. Some of the others haven't been too keen on having you around. They have only seen you cook, but nothing else. They have not seen you prove your worth past that and that is why they do not approve. It is not that you are useless; you are far from it, lad. You have to understand, though, that you need to find the courage to stand up and do more than what is asked of you. Look at how things worked out for me: I have become part of this company and have been accepted, even by Dwalin because I have proven myself worthy of being on this journey. I have healed, cooked, used my magik to help us on this quest, and I have scouted and hunted. When we were attacked by wargs, I stood and fought, even through all the fear I felt when that Orc grabbed my hair. I have tried to prove myself and fight through the damage my father did."

Bilbo understood what she was telling him and looked down when she showed him her sword. "This is Fenumë Dagnir: Dragon's Bane in the Common Tongue. This was my mother's sword, but when I was a little girl, a fire drake like Smaug came upon us while we were returning home from visiting a family friend. Giliath and his wife Gweran had a vast amount of wealth in gold and other jewels, having struck lucky in a nearby mine, and the drake wished to claim it. My mother was severely injured when she tried to protect my brother and I. The dragon had thrown her against a tree. My father tried to save her, but he suffered the wrath of dragon's fire and was severely injured. When my brother had been knocked aside as well, I took up my mother's sword and with the help of my magik, I redirected the fire back at the dragon and threw water at it to weaken it before I drove the blade in between its scales and into its heart and I slayed the beast that day.

My mother began to recover, but then the Battle at Gundabad, near the kingdom of Angmar, came and she insisted on going with my father. She fought bravely with the others and when my father returned, I expected to see my mother walking by his side. Instead, my father looked at me and I knew by the look in his eyes that I had lost my mother- the only one of my people and kin to have loved me unconditionally. After she had died, her body broken, my father had not brought her body back home to have her buried in her favorite grove. There is nothing now, no grave, no memory of her. I had gained some respect from my people the day I killed the dragon and my mother's sword was given to me and my father told me its name. It meant little to me with my mother dead, though. My father never opened up to anyone after that, never once spoke of my mother. This is not only a reminder of her, but it is a reminder of how hard I have had to work every day in my whole life to gain respect and recognition of others, to not be shunned and cast aside as my father did to me."

Halien looked back towards the other dwarves, a soft smile upon her lips. "Yet, with these dwarves, I am free to be myself, to be happy. I have proven myself to them and they have accepted me. My point in telling you this, Bilbo, is that even you can prove to Thorin and the others that you are worthy to be on this quest. If you leave now, you will only prove that they were right to doubt you and I do not think that you could make it back home alone, safely. That Orc pack will not give up on us so easily and they will not hesitate to kill you. I want you to stay, Bofur wants you to stay. We are one company and should never be separated. We have done so well of late up to this point, together and all of us working to reach Erebor. We need you, Bilbo, much more than you could ever realize."

Thorin had been awake the whole time and listened to what they were talking about. Halien had never mentioned what happened to her mother, but he felt that perhaps she could help Bilbo understand the situation.

"Thorin said I shouldn't have come and he was right." Bilbo said. "I should have never run out that door."

"You're homesick," Bofur said. "I understand."

"No, you don't." Bilbo tried to explain to him. "None of you understand! You're dwarves! You're used to this, living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere!"

Bofur's face fell at that and Halien stared at the hobbit in shock. "Bilbo..." she muttered, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, I..." Bilbo started to say, knowing that he crossed a line. Bofur had been the only one of the dwarves to completely take Bilbo into the company, treat him like a close friend, almost like kin. Bofur stood up for Bilbo and made sure that he was OK whenever something went wrong. He was always there for him.

"No, you're right..." Bofur said, looking around at his kin. "We don't belong anywhere." Turning back to Bilbo and putting a hand on his shoulder he said, "I wish you all the luck in the world, I really do."

As Bilbo started to turn away, Bofur looked down and asked, "What is that?"

Bilbo stopped and looked down at his sword- or letter opener as Balin called it- and he, Bofur, and Halien saw it glowing blue. Halien gasped and sent a message through thought to Thorin.

Thorin looked at the ground and saw the sand beginning to fall into tiny cracks that began to form along the floor. The clanking of gears began to creak and Thorin yelled at the company to wake up. They started awake and began to fall over each other as the floor broke into sections and dropped beneath them. The company began to tumbling and descend down a long and rocky tunnel, bouncing off of the stone walls. They landed in a crudely made cage and were soon being attacked by a large number of goblins. The goblins grabbed at them and forced them forward. Halien heard Bilbo's fear as he ducked down, but she knew he was going to be OK. She sent him a thought to be careful and stay out of sight if he could, and to try and see if he could figure out a way to get them out of there.

Bilbo heard her thought and nodded, sending her back a thought saying that he would be careful and figure something out if he could. Halien nodded when she heard his thought and winced as the sharp goblin blades pricked her skin. She and the others were directed into a large cavernous gap that looked to be the goblins' throne room. Halien's ears ached as the beating of drums and crudely made screeching instruments echoed through the cavern and she looked at the hideous and bulbous Goblin King as he stepped on a number of goblins to get out of the throne. His huge stature and revolting appearance made Halien's stomach tighten in disgust.

"I feel a song... coming on." the Goblin King said. "Clap, snap, the black crack. Grip, grab, pinch and nab, batter and beat. Milk 'em, stammer and squeak. Pound, pound far underground." The Goblin King spun around in a circle. "Down, down, down to Goblin-town."

"Down, down, down to Goblin-town." the other goblins echoed.

The Goblin King continued. "With a swish and a smack and a whip and crack, everybody talks when they're on my rack. Pound, pound far underground. Down, down, down to Goblin-town."

"Down, down, down to Goblin-town." the other goblins echoed again as the Goblin King raised his staff.

"Hammer and torch, get out your knockers and gongs," the Goblin King continued much to the dismay of the company. "You won't last long on the end of my prongs. Clish, clash, crush, and smash! Bang, break, shiver and shake! You can yell it and yelp but there ain't no help! Pound, pound, far underground. Down, down, down in Goblin-town!" Finally the song was ended and the Goblin King twirled in circles as he finished singing. He looked at the company and went to sit back in his throne.

"Catchy, isn't it?" he asked. "It's one of my own compositions."

Balin retorted with, "That's not a song, that's an abomination!"

The Goblin King simply laughed. "Abomination? Mutations. Deviations. That's all you're gonna find down here."

The goblins around them laughed and threw their weapons to the floor.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?" the Goblin King asked, coming down from his throne again.

"Dwarves, your malevolence. And an elf." one goblin told him.

"Dwarves? An elf?"

"We found them on the front porch!"

"Well don't just stand there, search them! Every crack, every crevice!"

The goblins began to search the company. Halien felt utterly violated being touched by such vile things and punched several of the ones that came at her.

"Keep your grubby little paws off of me!" she warned them.

The Goblin King watched as she kicked and punched the goblins and his eyes widened when he watched her glow a blue hue and was engulfed in blue flames. Halien cried out and threw her fire at the goblins surrounding her. Thorin and the others all looked at her, surprised and somewhat fearful.

"What magik is this?" the Goblin King asked.

Halien looked at him. "That is none of your concern, but I will sheath my magik as long as your minions do not lay another hand on me. They so much as touch me, I will not hesitate to burn your precious kingdom to the ground and smoke you out into the sunlight you so desperately hide from. And do not think I will hesitate to do the same should you harm my companions."

The Goblin King laughed. "I like you, elf. What is your name?"

"I am Halien, and you would do well to heed my warning, your most darkly devious one."

Thorin looked between his wife and the Goblin King. Somehow, Halien knew exactly what to say that would not come across as disrespectful to the goblins and knew that she was trying to buy as much time as she could for them.

"Ah, such respect from one who would never set foot into a place like this willingly." the Goblin King said.

The goblins continued to search the dwarves and as they did, they threw what they found on the ground. They emptied out Nori's pack and one of the goblins grabbed a candle holder and handed it to the Goblin King, saying that they were in league with elves.

"Made in Rivendell." the Goblin King read aloud. "Ugh, Second Age. Couldn't give it away." He tossed it over the platform.

Everyone looked at Nori and he shrugged. "Just a couple of keepsakes."

"What are you doing in these parts?" the Goblin King demanded.

Thorin was beginning to step forward, but Oin stopped him. "Don't worry lads, I'll handle this."

"I want the truth, no tricks! Warts and all." the Goblin King said.

Oin looked at the Goblin King. "You're going to have to speak up, your boys smashed my trumpet."

"I'll flatten more than your trumpet!" the Goblin King roared and sprang from his throne, knocking some of the goblins over the edge.

Bofur came to the rescue and began to come up with this ridiculous story about how they were supposed to be in Dunland the last Tuesday. The Goblin King grew weary of his blabbering and yelled for him to shut up. The Goblin King called for his torture device to be brought up and for them to start with the youngest, pointing to Ori.

"You lay a grimy hand on these dwarves and I will destroy you, oh great malevolent one." Halien warned.

The Goblin King simply laughed at that and as the goblins began to grab for Ori and the others, Thorin stepped forward, ordering them to wait.

"Well, well, well!" the Goblin King said, surprised to see Thorin. He scoffed at the dwarf king and began to make fun of him for not having his kingdom.

"I suggest that you shut that empty, bottomless pit you call a mouth, lord of the undergrounds." Halien said, glaring at the Goblin King. "You may think you are a king, but the only reason why you are the Goblin King is because you are by far the largest, fattest, most vile and disgusting of you entire tribe here. You are no king beyond that and you never will be. Thorin led his people to safety after he tried to protect Erebor from the dragon and worked as hard as he could to build them a new home, to work wherever there was work to be had. He has sacrificed everything for his people and would gladly die for them."

"What is your point, little elfling?" the Goblin King asked, getting bored.

"My point is this: while Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the Mountain, will sacrifice himself and fall on a sword for his people, you would rather throw your people in front of you to save your own slimy and grotesque skin instead of trying to ensure that your people live on. You will never be as great of a king as Thorin is."

The Goblin King laughed at that. "But he is no king now, is he?"

"He is the king of Erebor and will always be a king, no matter if he has a kingdom or not. He is everything a king should be and even if he never takes back Erebor, I would follow him to my own grave and serve him because he is _my_ king."

Beside her, Thorin looked up at her and smiled softly. While he hoped that her words did not endanger her, he found another reason to love her even more than he already did.

The Goblin King laughed and grinned wickedly as he ordered for word to be sent to the Pale Orc that he had found his "prize." Everyone's hearts fell when they heard that Azog the Defiler was still alive.

'No, it cannot be….!' Halien heard Thorin say silently. She put a hand on his shoulder. 'Thorin?'

The Goblin King saw a glimmer from her ring as the torch light flickered off the moonstone. "Ooo, now that's a pretty trinket." He said, pointing to the ring she wore on her left ring finger.

"It was a gift from someone very dear to me." Halien knew that by the way he was looking at it that he was going to have one of the goblins try to take it from her. "And I can promise you this, Goblin King, if you or your goblins so much as come near me, I will raze this place into the light of day and slaughter each and every one of you. So, I suggest, your malevolence, that you do not attempt to claim Reva for your own."

The Goblin King shuddered at the sudden coldness that seemed to radiate from the elf maiden and nodded. A wicked smile came upon his face as the torture device finally arrived. He began to sing again, but backed away from the company as one of the goblins began to unsheathe Orcrist and shrieked when he realized what sword was before him.

"I know that sword! It is the Goblin Cleaver! The Biter! The sword that cut a thousand necks!" he cried, then ordered for the goblins to kill the company.

"No!" Halien cried as the goblins lunged at them. She felt an anger burning inside her and summoned her fire magik. The goblins surrounding her were burned into ash and blew away in the musky stench of a breeze that sneaked its way through the caverns. The dwarves all looked at her and watched her body become enveloped by a blue flame once more.

'Halien!' Thorin called to her.

'Thorin, I'm fine.' She replied with a soft smile that was instantly replaced by a horrifying glare as she thrust her fists at the goblins who ran at her. She grabbed one by the throat and glared at the Goblin King. "Call them off!" she ordered, crushing the now crisp body of the goblin into dust.

Thorin called out to her again as a goblin came up behind her and hit her with a club. Halien grunted and fell to her knees, the flames around her dying.

'Thorin….' She called, groggy from the hit. Her vision blurred as she searched for her husband. "Thorin, where are you…?" she barely managed to get out.

Thorin tried to reach her, but through the throng of goblins, he could not, and ended up getting pinned down by some goblins as one of them tried to cut off his head. "Halien!"

Halien could barely hear or see anything at that point and she felt a cold, icy sensation nipping at her body. She felt the familiarity of her healing magik and the familiarity of Lady Galadriel, as if the elven queen of Lorien was pulling her magik through to her. Halien focused on her magik and brought it into herself, trying to heal her head.

"Halien?" Bofur said, seeing her begin to glow with a silver light.

Halien felt her pain go away and her vision cleared and she could no longer feel the grogginess of being hit with the club. Standing, she extinguished her flames, then cried out to Thorin as she saw him pinned down by some goblins, one holding a knife. She tried to use some of her wind magik to push aside the goblins and reach her husband, but as she fell on top of his chest, ready to take the knife in her back, a white blinding light burst forth from the darkness behind the Goblin King and everyone was knocked onto their backs.

Halien looked up and saw Gandalf standing there. "Mithrandir…"

"Take up arms." he said as he overlooked the large number of bodies clumped together. "Fight."

Halien rolled off of Thorin's chest and grabbed her sword as Gandalf called for them to fight with more force. At his command, Thorin and the others grabbed their weapons and followed Gandalf, cutting and slashing at their enemies as they fought their way out of the caverns.

Halien and the others ran through the endless maze of wooden bridges, taking out any goblin that got in their way. Gandalf used his staff at one point to knock loose a chunk of rock that he then used to push in front of the company, crushing any goblin fortunate enough for the company to get caught in its path. Halien saw the dwarves use many of the things built by the goblins against them, like a railing and a ladder, and smiled. Even in the heat of battle and escape, they were still incredibly resourceful. She tried to help by throwing fire balls at the goblins and making rocks fall on them, but she mostly had to stick with her sword.

As they go further away from the main horde of goblins and closer to their exit, they were stopped by the Goblin King as he clambered up onto the bridge, blocking their path.

"You thought you could escape me?" he scoffed at them. "What are you going to do now, wizard?" he asked Gandalf, then started swinging his club at him.

"Gandalf!" Halien cried when he fell backwards, but sighed in relief as the dwarves that caught him pushed him upright and she watched as Gandalf hit the Goblin King with his staff, then slashed at his stomach. He finally finished the Goblin King off, despite the creature's nagging commentary, by slitting his throat. The bridge beneath them broke, though, and they slide down the gap.

The bridge crashed to the ground and Halien rolled off of it, smacking against another rock. Thorin came up to her and made sure that she was OK just as the Goblin King fell on top of the others.

"Oh, you've got to be joking!" Dwalin grunted as he pushed the bridge pieces and the Goblin King off himself and the others.

Kili looked up and saw that the entire horde of goblins was coming straight at them like a waterfall and called out to Gandalf.

Everyone looked and Dwalin said that there were too many of them. Gandalf said their only chance was daylight and so he led them onward to the exit. They weaved through stone halls and finally found the exited and ran out into the daylight. For the moment they were safe.

Once they reached the base of the side of the mountain where they were running down, everyone stopped to catch a breather. As Gandalf checked to make sure that everyone was there safe and sound, Thorin ran to Halien as she sank onto a nearby rock, her energy nearly spent.

"Halien, are you alright? Are you injured?" he asked her, running his hands over her to make certain she was OK.

"Yes, little king, I am alright. Just a few bumps and bruises, nothing to be worried about." She replied with a tired smile.

Thorin sighed in relief and kissed her, not caring that the others would see. He kissed her a few times before he hugged her and held onto her as if they were never going to see each other again.

Balin sighed, knowing that the others would question what was going on, but looked around when Gandalf asked where Bilbo was.

"Where is our Hobbit?" Gandalf asked.

Someone said they last saw him with Dori, but Dori didn't know where he was. That was when Nori pointed out that he thought he saw Bilbo slip away when they were first cornered. Gandalf urged him to tell him exactly what had happened.

"Gandalf, Bilbo slipped away to try and find a way to get us out of there. He didn't abandon us." Halien tried to tell him, but Thorin stood and shook his head.

"I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it. He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and warm hearth since first he set out his door. We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone." Thorin said.

Halien shook her head. "Thorin…"

"Nope, no he isn't." Bilbo said, coming out from behind a tree.

"Thank the ancestors! You're safe, Bilbo!" Halien said and ran to hug him.

"Bilbo Baggins… I have never been so happy to see anyone in my life!" Gandalf said as the others smiled in relief that he was there and OK.

Halien stepped back and looked at Thorin. 'You never should have doubted him, my dear.'

Thorin looked at her and sighed.

"Bilbo! We would have given you up!" Kili said in relief.

"How on earth did you get passed the goblins?" Fili asked.

Bilbo seemed nervous to tell them and started fidgeting with his pockets.

"Well what does it matter?" Gandalf said. "He is back."

"It matters." Thorin retorted. "I want to know. Why did you come back?"

Bilbo looked at him. "Look, I know you doubt me. I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and my armchair, and my garden. See that's where I belong, that's home. And that's why I came back: because you don't have one. A home; it was taken from you." He said, glancing around at the others, too. "But I will help you take it back if I can."

Halien smiled at that and felt Thorin's mind ease a bit. Then, her smile faded as she realized how sad that made everyone look. Then, the feeling of dread and fear making the hairs on her neck stand up came with the howling of wargs.

"Thorin…"

"Out of the frying pan…" he said, looking from Halien to Gandalf.

"And into the fire. Run." Gandalf finished. "Run!"

The company turned and ran, but soon realized that they reached the end of their road and Gandalf told them to climb into the trees. They climbed as high as they could reach, but Bilbo fell as a warg jumped over him. It turned around and ran at him, only to have the elvish blade he wielded get driven into its head.

"Bilbo, hurry!" Halien called from her branch. She watched as Bilbo tried to yank the blade out of the warg's skull and when he finally did, Halien hooked her legs on her branch and swung back, grabbing Bilbo and hoisting him up to the higher branches until he could climb higher himself.

'Halien, are you safe?' Thorin called to her and saw her in the tree with Bilbo.

'Yes, but Thorin, look.' She said, pointing.

Thorin looked and saw the pale Orc. "Azog…" Azog began taunting him in the Orcish tongue and Thorin shook his head. "It cannot be…"

Azog ordered the wargs to attack them and the mangy beasts began tearing at the branches, trying to climb up into the trees. They ended up uprooting the trees until only one was left standing with everyone clinging to a branch. Gandalf grabbed a pinecone, lit it with his magik and threw it at the wargs, setting the ground ablaze. He grabbed some more and tossed them to a few of the others and they lit more and more pinecones before throwing them and trying to make the fire bigger.

The tree fell backwards and Dori and Ori slipped, barely hanging on. Dori started to fall, but managed to grab Gandalf's staff before he and his younger brother fell to their deaths. Thorin couldn't take it anymore and took up his Oakenshield and Orcrist and ran at Azog.

"Thorin, no!" Halien cried as Azog's warg knocked him over, then grabbed him in its mouth and threw him onto a large boulder.

She watched as Bilbo unsheathed his blade and ran to protect Thorin and Halien swung onto the trunk and ran after him. She stood behind Bilbo and protected Thorin as he passed out. Azog found it amusing and Halien watched as some of the others managed to get to the ground safely and came to aid them. They slashed at the Orcs and tried to protect Thorin best they could. Halien would not leave his side, but she was hit from behind and passed out, falling to the ground a few yards from Thorin. She did not remember what happened next, only darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

When Halien awoke, she was laying on the ground and she looked up to see the eagles of Gondolin circling back towards their home. She sat up and thanked Gandalf, then watched as he went to Thorin. She tried to get up, but fell to her knees as Thorin woke up. He looked around, searching for Bilbo.

"It's alright, Bilbo is here. He's quite safe.' Gandalf assured him.

"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild? That you had no place amongst us?" he asked as he advanced on the Hobbit. "I have never been so wrong, in all my life." Thorin said, hugging Bilbo tightly.

Bofur helped Halien to stand and she smiled when she saw that Bilbo had finally proven his worth to Thorin and that Thorin now considered him as one of the company. The company rejoiced, glad to be safe and in one piece for the moment. Then, Thorin stopped, as the eagles flew home, and stared into the distance at the Lonely Mountain, rising high above the horizon.

A thrush flew by them and towards the mountain and Thorin took it as a sign, a good omen. He turned and walked over to Halien.

"We're nearly there, Halien."

"We are indeed." She replied, then kissed her husband's head.

Thorin smiled and didn't notice how the others looked at them.

Bofur smiled and had a hunch that he knew what was going on between them. Next to him, the other dwarves and Gandalf smiled and sighed in relief, seeing how close the elf and their king had become.

"So, who gave you the ring, lass?" Bofur asked Halien as they made their way down the pass to the base of the mountain peak where the eagles had dropped them off. "It's beautiful."

Halien blushed and smiled. She looked to Thorin as he led the company onward. Bofur could see her feelings clearly in her eyes for Thorin as she touched Reva's stones.

"I see. It's alright, lass, I won't say anything." He replied.

"Thank you." She replied with a smile.

As they continued down the long pathway, Halien was beginning to feel faint. Her head ached and her stomach tightened as she felt the need to expel its contents. She tried to go slowly, but when they finally reached the base of the mountain, she rested against the side of the rock face and turned towards the bushes.

The company turned and stared as Halien wretched into the bushes. Bilbo rushed to her side and rubbed her back as she sank to one knee.

"Halien, it's been five months since we left Rivendell. You seem to not be able to shake this sickness, or whatever it is." He whispered. "Did you lay in bed with anyone while we were there?"

Halien looked up at him and her eyes widened. "Thorin…"

At that point, Thorin had come over to see that she was alright, not aware of the thought that crossed both the hobbit's and the elf's minds.

"Halien, are you sick?" he asked, helping her up.

Shaking her head and not wanting to worry him, she said, "No, Thorin. I am alright. I just need to go easy for a while."

Thorin nodded and they went at a slow pace from there.

A few weeks more had passed since then and Halien realized that it had been one year since they had set out on their quest.

Halien couldn't sleep and sat up, looking at the night sky. She rubbed her stomach gently, feeling her belly. Halien had not yet told Thorin that she was with child. She didn't want to worry him, since their journey was dangerous. She felt the child growing within her and was relieved that she hadn't started to show too much, but it was easy to conceal it beneath her cloak and her ranger clothes.

Beside her, Thorin began to stir. He looked up and saw Halien gazing at the stars. 'Are you alright, my dear?'

Halien looked down and smiled. 'Of course, my love. I am just having a hard time sleeping for some reason.'

'Is your stomach alright? Does it hurt?' Thorin asked her, sitting up.

'It's fine, Thorin. Don't worry about it.' She told him, giving him a quick kiss. 'Go back to sleep, little king.'

Thorin smiled and set his head down on his arm, trying to go back to sleep. Halien in the meantime stood and went to the small pond that was a few yards from the camp. As she sat down and rested for a moment, Bilbo came out from behind the tree and stopped next to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"As well as one could expect." She replied, a hand to her womb. "I hate not telling Thorin the truth, but I don't want him to worry." Looking to Bilbo, she continued. "Everyone knows that we're married now, but I don't know if they will handle news of a child being brought into this world with how dangerous our journey is."

"A child is a wonderful thing, but I understand your worry." Bilbo said. "There will be a time when you have to tell Thorin, before you really start to show. I do not think that anyone has noticed yet, but I have seen that you are beginning to show, even under your clothes. You will not be able to hide this much longer."

"I know, but I don't want him to worry. If he knows about his child and something bad is about to happen to me, he may be too distracted from the task at hand and get hurt in the process."

Bilbo nodded and started to walk back to camp. "You seem to have gotten over the morning sickness pretty well, by now. I was beginning to worry before; you seemed to be sick to your stomach every few days. I thought perhaps it was something bad you ate. As far as Thorin goes, you should tell him, but tell him when you are ready. You need to make sure you get plenty rest, alright?"

Halien nodded and followed him back to the camp.

Halien woke up to breakfast and a smile from Thorin. He and the others had already woken up and had let her sleep some more. Halien took the plate from her husband and thanked him.

"Bilbo decided to make breakfast this time, so we let you sleep in a bit." Thorin said.

She thanked him and looked at Bilbo who smiled. 'Don't worry, Halien, I will keep your secret.'

She smiled and thanked the Hobbit.

A week had passed by then and the company learned that the Orc pack was closing in on them. They were still a long ways away, but Thorin asked Bilbo to use his skills and scout a bit ahead and see how close the pack was. Bilbo was gone for a while, but just as the others were beginning to worry, he came running back down the slope, quite as usual, and reported back to the company that the Orc pack they thought they had escaped were a couple of leagues away.

"They saw you? Did they see you?" Gandalf asked, worried.

Bilbo shook his head, said there was another problem, and explained that there was a beast. Gandalf seemed to know what it was and asked if it was like a bear. Bilbo nodded and said that it was much larger, though.

"Gandalf, is it him?" Halien asked.

Gandalf nodded. The dwarves were beginning to panic, but Gandalf told them of a house not far from where they were. Thorin asked if they were friend or foe and Gandalf said, "Neither."

"What choice do we have?" Thorin asked.

A loud roar came from near where Bilbo had just been and Gandalf shook his head.

"None." he said and urged the company to run.

They ran down the rocky slopes to the base of the mountain and did not stop for a breather when they reached an open plain. Purple and yellow flowers dotted the plain, still brilliant in color as the last days of autumn were upon them. The sun had risen high into the sky at this point and Gandalf pointed to where a large cottage lay at the edge of the forest on the other side of the plains.

The company quickened their pace and everyone looked at Bombur as he raced passed everyone else and slammed into the door of the cottage. Fili and Kili slammed into the door, trying to push it open, but couldn't. The roaring came again and they looked to see the bearish beast barreling towards them. Gandalf ordered them to open the door, so Thorin pushed his way through the frightened dwarves and pushed up the lever lock and opened the door. Everyone rushed inside and tried to close the doors before the bear reached them. The bear tried to push its way through, but the dwarves managed to shove the heavy doors shut and lock them.

Panting, Ori turned and asked what the beast was.

"That is our host." Gandalf explained.

Everyone turned to look at him and saw him smiling. Halien laughed a bit, then sat down on the nearest barrel. Thorin went to her side as Gandalf explained that the bear's name was Beorn and that he was a skin changer.

"Sometimes he is a huge black bear, sometimes he is a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with." He explained further. "However, he is not overfond of dwarves."

Ori listened at the door and told them he was leaving. Dori, being the eldest between himself, Nori and Ori, pulled the lad away from the door and tried to insist that Beorn was under some kind of dark spell, that is was not natural. Gandalf told him he was not under any enchantment but his own.

"Dori, skin changers are people who use an ancient form of magik that is all but lost now in order to change their skin. It is a transformation that they choose. They usually choose the form of an animal, and in Beorn's case, he chooses a large black bear. Their magik of transformation is as natural to them as my magik and abilities with animals and communication through thought is to me." Halien explained.

Dori seemed to understand from there and nodded as the others looked around the cottage.

"Get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight." Gandalf suggested. Then to himself, he muttered, "I hope."

Thorin helped Halien over to a large pile of hay where he had laid out her bed roll. Halien slowly eased herself down, pretending to be weary from travel. She was nearing five months of pregnancy, but she was not worried. Typically, elven women would carry a child in their womb for almost fifteen months due to their longevity. However, Halien knew that if her pregnancy were to get in the way of the quest, she would have to be left behind somewhere safe.

'Are you alright? We had to run hard to reach this house safely.' Thorin asked her.

Halien smiled and nodded as he sat down next to her. It had taken them most of the day to reach Beorn's house, but they were safe and out of harm's way for the moment. 'Could you hand me my book? I feel like sketching this.' She asked Thorin.

Thorin handed it to her and watched her begin to sketch the scene before them: a large open house with a horse and a cow in their stalls and the dwarves and Bilbo laid out on open piles of hay. They were already fast asleep, exhausting from running so hard to reach safety. Thorin sat next to her as she sketched every detail she could manage until the light faded and night fell upon Middle Earth. Satisfied with her work, she closed her book and set it back in her pack. She turned a bit and rested her head on Thorin's chest, trying not to wake him. He had fallen asleep right when Halien started adding the shading details to the sketch. Thorin stirred and wrapped an arm around her as she pulled the blanket he had gotten out for her over them both and settled in.

'Sleep well, my love.' She whispered to him and closed her eyes.

The company slept soundly through the night, but at some point Beorn had changed back to his man form and came into the house. He looked over at the company, then turned away. Halien had sensed him come in and tried to reach out to him with a thought.

'Beorn, my name is Halien. I wanted to thank you for allowing us to stay here.' She said, startling the skin changer.

'You are the elf?' he replied, not seeming to be too surprised by her ability.

'Aye, great Beorn. My kin and I appreciate the accommodations, under the circumstances. I know you do not favor dwarves, and knowing the history of your people, I understand. But these are good natured dwarves; they are not greedy, do not seek to harm others, but only to protect themselves and each other. Please give them a chance?'

Beorn was silent for a moment, but Halien sensed him nod. 'Very well, elf. We shall speak again come sunrise.'

'Many thanks, my friend.' She replied and went back to sleep.

It was not long before morning came and Halien sat up. Thorin woke with her, stretching before he stood and helped her up. Beorn had made them breakfast and was pouring milk into the giant mugs before each dwarf.

"Did you sleep well, Halien?" Bofur asked.

Halien nodded. "Aye."

Thorin smiled and kissed her head. "Good."

Halien smiled in return and sat down. She listened as the dwarves began arguing amongst themselves again, trying to figure out what to do before Beorn returned.

"Well, I say we leg it. Slip out the back way." Nori said.

"I'm not running from anyone, beast or no." Dwalin said.

"There is no point in arguing." Gandalf said, stopping them from going any further. "We cannot pass through the Wilderland without Beorn's help. We'll be hunted down before we even get to the forest."

Bilbo joined them and Gandalf noted his presence.

"Now, this will require some delicate handling." Gandalf said, heading towards the door. "We must tread very carefully. The last person to have startled him was torn to shreds."

The dwarves gaped at him, but saw that he was completely serious.

"I will go first and—uh, Bilbo? You come with me."

Bilbo looked between the dwarves and then at the wizard. "Is this a good idea?"

"Yes." Gandalf said. "Now the rest of you, you just wait here and don't come out until I give the signal."

"Right." Bofur said from his perch by the window. "Wait for the signal."

"And no sudden moves or loud noises, and don't overcrowd him. Only come out in pairs." Gandalf instructed. "No, actually, Bombur, you count as two, so you come out alone."

Bombur bit off a chunk of carrot and nodded at the wizard. "Mm." he uttered.

"Good." Gandalf said. "Remember, wait for the signal."

"And what signal would that be?" Bofur asked, but Gandalf disappeared.

Halien sat there and waited with the others. They listened as Gandalf greeted Beorn and tried as politely to explain the situation. Bofur saw something that he thought was the signal and started to send out the dwarves. Dwalin and Balin went first, then Oin and Gloin, Ori and Dori, then Fili and Kili, then the rest followed behind them.

"Is there any more?" Beorn asked.

Thorin stepped out of the house.

"Ah." Beorn said, then looked around. "Where is the elf?"

Thorin looked behind him and outstretched a hand to her. "Come, love. He wishes to see you."

Halien took his hand and Thorin led her outside and down the stairs. Halien looked at Beorn and walked slowly to stand by Gandalf. She bowed deeply and said, "It is good to finally meet you, great Beorn. I have heard much of your people and I wish to extend my deepest condolences to you for your loss. We wish to also thank you for allowing us to take refuge in your home." She stood back up and smiled at the skin changer. "I also wish to thank you for agreeing to give my companions a chance before you turn us away. It means a great deal to us that you have been as gracious as a host as you have. We are in your debt, great Beorn."

Beorn looked at her. "We spoke briefly, in the night. You have not yet told me your name, elf."

Halien smiled. "I am Halien, daughter of Thranduil, second heir to the throne of the Woodland Realm behind my brother, Legolas. I was the ambassador for the elves of Greenwood and the dwarves of Erebor years ago. I am the wife of Thorin Oakenshield. Now, I am your humble guest."

Beorn nodded in approval. "Now that is how you greet someone. Wizard, perhaps you can learn from this one." He said, then set his axe aside. "Come, you must be hungry. I will get you something to eat."

Beorn led them back into the house and started to set out food and mugs for them.

Beorn put a plate of food before her. "You must eat well, elf." He said aloud, then thought to her, 'I can see that you are with child. You must care for yourself, lest the child will grow weak and you may lose it.'

'I will, great Beorn. And again, I must thank you for allowing us to stay here.'

"If I had no displeasure of dwarves, I would say that you are welcome here whenever you need." He replied, then he turned and looked at Thorin. "So you are the one they call Oakenshield."

Thorin nodded.

"Tell me," Beorn continued. "Why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

"You know of Azog?" Thorin asked. "How?"

"My people were the first to live in the mountains. Before the Orcs came down from the North." Beorn began to explain. "The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved. Not for work, you understand, for sport." He paced around the table, refilling some of the mugs. "Caging skin changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."

"There are others like you?" Bilbo asked.

"Once, there were many." Beorn said.

"And now?" Bilbo asked.

"Now, there is only one." Beorn replied, a sadness in his eyes.

"Beorn is the last of his kind, Bilbo." Halien said. "Azog killed most of them, then those he forced to fight each other were forced to kill each other as well. Every other skin changer was tortured and many died at the Pale Orc's hands. What he did to Beorn's people is unforgivable even to this day."

"You need to reach the mountain, before the last days of autumn?" Beorn asked, looking to Gandalf.

"Before Durin's Day falls, yes." The wizard replied.

Halien looked over at her husband and put a hand to his arm when she saw a look of worry and fear upon his face. 'We will make it in time, my love.'

He smiled at that and kissed her hand.

"You are running out of time." Beorn pointed out.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." Gandalf said, then looked at Halien when an icy chill ran through the room.

"Halien, will you be alright with going through Mirkwood?" Bilbo asked.

"My father exiled me and I swore never to return there without great need." She replied, then looked to Gandalf. "Is there no other way, Mithrandir? I do not wish to face my father and with the Greenwood growing sicker every day, I may not be able to help us through the forest safely. It is possible that this dark sickness upon the forest has warped the trees and I may not be able to recognize anything. Much could change in sixty years."

"A darkness lays over that forest." Beorn said. "Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer of Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need."

"We will take the elven road. That path is still safe." Gandalf said.

"Safe? The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They are less wise and more dangerous." Beorn pointed out.

"Aye, and it is a wonder that I am not more like them. I only lived in Mirkwood for one hundred and fifty six years before I came to Erebor." Halien said, knowing full well how ruthless her kin could be.

'You're so young for an elf.' Thorin said. 'You would be nearly two hundred years old now.'

'Actually, I'm two hundred and sixteen, only a couple decades older than you, little king.' She replied with a smirk.

"But it matters not." Beorn said.

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked, the mood in the room changing as he turned to look at the skin changer.

"These lands are crawling with Orcs." Beorn explained. "Their numbers are growing and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive. And your companion may not be well enough to travel hard."

"What do you mean?" Thorin asked, looking from Beorn to Halien.

'You have not told him?' Beorn asked Halien. 'Is he not the father of your child?'

"I have something to tell you all." Halien said, standing. She removed her cloak and the extra tunic she had thrown on with the weather getting colder.

The company fell silent and gazed at her in wonder. They could clearly see now what Beorn meant.

"I am with child. Nearly six months now." She said, a protective hand over her child.

"Halien…" Thorin said, looking at her. "Why did you not tell us?" Then thinking to her, 'Why did you not tell me?'

"I didn't want you to worry. With the Orcs hunting us and time running short on our quest, we had enough to worry about without throwing a child into the mix." Halien said, then looked at Thorin with worry in her eyes. "Please forgive me, little king. I should have told you sooner, but I feared it would interfere with the quest."

Thorin shook his head. "We will simply have to be more careful now." He said and pulled her down for a kiss. "It is splendid news, nonetheless."

Halien smiled and looked up at the others as they cheered and congratulated her. The smile quickly faded as she remembered what Beorn had just said. She placed a protective hand over her growing child and sat back down.

"Beorn is right. We may not reach the forest safely and in time." She said. "The Orcs are too close and could very well catch up to us. If they did, there is no way that we could survive."

Thorin put a hand on her shoulder in comfort and looked at the skin changer. "I will never let that happen." He tilted her chin up to where she was forced to look at him. 'Nothing will happen to you or our child.'

"I don't like dwarves. They are greedy and blind, blind to the lives they deem lesser than their own." Beorn said, standing. He picked up a white mouse that Bofur had shooed off his sleeve and stopped in front of Thorin. "But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?"

Halien stood. "We need horses and any supplies you can spare. We are already in your debt for keeping us safe from the Orc pack, but we greatly appreciate it."

Beorn nodded. He set the mouse aside and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. 'Your child is indeed strong. You must be careful on your journey.' He thought to her. 'Be sure to get plenty of rest and try not to fight with your sword. If you can help it, do not fight at all. If you must defend yourself, keep a dagger with you and use your bow.'

Halien nodded.

"I will give you the horses outside in the field. There are seventeen, take those you need. I will give you the extra supplies I have in my stores, that which I can manage without during the winter."

Halien and Thorin bowed and they began to get things ready with the others. Beorn got the horses ready, adorning them with the bridles, saddles, and reins. The company put their packs on the saddles and quickly mounted into the saddles.

"Go now, while you still have the light." Beorn said. "Your hunters are not far behind." Then, to Halien, he sent, 'Be careful, elf. I know your father and his reputation. You and your company will be safe as long as you do not lose your way. Stay your path, never waver and you will be fine.'

'Understood. May the ancestors protect you, Beorn. We are ever grateful and indebted to you.' Halien sent back.

'May you reach your journey's end safely and unharmed. May your child be born healthy and in peace.'

With that final goodbye, Beorn seemed to shut the door to his thoughts and Halien heard not another word.

It did not take them too long to reach the edge of Mirkwood. They dismounted the horses and Halien looked at the trees, a sadness in her heart. She did not realize that she was crying until Thorin grasped her hand and asked if she was alright.

"I am sorry. It has been so long since I have been here. The trees…. They are crying out in pain…." She said.

Halien and the others watched as Gandalf approached the woods.

"The Elven Gate." He muttered. Turning to the others, he said, "Here lies our path through Mirkwood."

"No sign of the Orcs." Dwalin mentioned. "We have luck on our side."

"I do not sense them near." Halien added. "They feel very far away, but they still remain close enough for us to be wary."

Gandalf looked into the distance and Halien sensed Beorn standing watch on a near cliff to the south of their position. "Set the ponies loose." Gandalf ordered. "Let them return to their master."

"This forest feels sick." Bilbo said. "Like a disease lays upon it. Is there no other way around?"

"Not unless you wish to go two hundred miles north or twice that distance to the south." Gandalf explained.

As the company went about taking their packs off, Gandalf stepped through the gate. As he walked a few feet further into the woods, Halien felt a familiar presence. It was that of Lady Galadriel and that meant she was reaching out to someone. Halien looked around, then started when Gandalf suddenly came hurrying back out of the woods.

"Not my horse! I need it!" Gandalf said.

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo asked, suddenly worried and frightened.

"I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf said.

'Lady Galadriel has a task for you, doesn't she?' Halien asked him. 'I felt her presence. Does it have to do with the Necromancer?'

Gandalf nodded, then he looked to Bilbo. "You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. You are not the same Hobbit as the one who left the shire."

"I was going to tell you." Bilbo said with urgency, like what he had to say would never be said unless it was right then and there. "I found something in the goblin tunnels."

"Found what?" Gandalf asked, looking at him with a concerned interest. "What did you find?"

"My courage." Bilbo answered, but Halien felt that he was not entirely truthful and that he was hiding something from the wizard.

"Good. That's good." Gandalf replied. "You'll need it."

Turning away from the hobbit, the wizard walked to the horse. "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the swepts of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter the mountain without me." He said, looking to Thorin at the last part, then mounted into his saddle, gave a warning not to leave the path, and urged his horse forward, galloping off to the north.

"Why must he leave?" Ori asked.

"There is an important task he must attend to, Ori. His succession in this task may have a crucial part to play in the coming war." Halien explained. "The numbers of Orcs are increasing every day and soon enough, they will have a large enough army to overtake Middle Earth. Do not hesitate to think they will not take advantage of that fact and sit idly by."

The company nodded and set their mounts loose. Halien looked towards the forest. "We must be careful. This sickness upon my homeland is dark and Gandalf is right. The illusions the sickness will create will try to push their way into our minds and can easily lead us astray. I will try to lead you safely through these woods, but I do not know how things have changed. So long as we stick to the path, we will remain safe."

And with that, she nodded to Thorin and turned to lead the company into the dark trees that were once her home.

It seemed as though hours passed by and Halien had thus far led them on the path and through the winding trees. They came to the stone bridge that Gandalf had spoken of. Halien remembered it vaguely, but it was broken, unrecognizable. They tried to climb across on the vines, but Bombur fell asleep and landed in the water. They had to carry him for a while, then stopped to rest. Everyone's heads were spinning and Halien could feel the strain it was putting on her. She felt a strength, however coming from the babe. Halien looked up as Thorin took off, away from the path. They followed him quickly, but they were soon lost. Nori stopped next to Halien when they realized something had gone terribly wrong.

"Why have we stopped?" Thorin asked, coming to stand next to them.

Nori pointed. "The path… it's disappeared!"

Thorin looked and saw a giant chasm in place of where the path should have been. He looked to Halien and she shook her head in disbelief.

"I don't understand… The path was right there, it was the right path. I don't understand how this could have happened…"

Thorin grabbed her hand and squeezed gently. "It's fine. You have not been here in over half a century. You did warn us that things may have changed since then and you would not be able to recognize them."

"We've lost the path." Oin said.

"Look for the path." Thorin ordered. "All of you, look for the path!"

The company tried to look for the path, but could not find it. They searched and searched, and were soon lost. Even Halien was lost; she couldn't recognize anything anymore. The company continued to walk around, trying to find something that would lead them back to the path, but they could not. They began to grow weary, frightened, confused and all those emotions mixed with the illusions that were beginning to take their hold broke through the barrier that Halien had built earlier the year before. He head began to ache with the thundering of the dwarves' emotions and the thick illusions that were beginning to cloud their minds.

She became very dizzy and stopped for a moment. "You all have to remain calm. Keep your minds clear…" she managed to get out.

"Are you alright, lass?" Bofur asked.

"These illusions are breaking my barrier. You are all confused, weary. Your emotions and thoughts are crashing into me like an avalanche. I cannot bear it any longer."

Thorin came to her side. "We need to be careful, then. Try to relax, try to push them out."

Halien stood. "I am trying, but everyone must try to be calm. I cannot help otherwise."

The others nodded and they continued on their way. Halien could still feel the illusions pulling at her companions. Hours seemed to go by and when they stopped again, Ori picked up a pouch. Dori took it and looked it over.

"There's dwarves in these woods." He said.

Bofur took a look at it as well as he said, "Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less. This is exactly the same as mine!"

Bilbo scoffed and said, "That's because it is yours. You see? We've been going in circles. Were lost."

"We're not lost." Thorin retorted. "We keep heading east."

"Which way is east?" Bofur asked.

"We've lost the sun." Gloin replied.

"Thorin, face it. We are lost. None of these trees look familiar, that's Bofur's pouch, and we are no closer to finding the path than we were an hour ago." Halien said.

Bilbo was the only other person besides her that seemed to have a clear head compared to the others and Halien watched as he climbed up the tree. 'I'm going to climb to the top, find the sun, and see which way we need to go from here.'

'Be careful, Bilbo.' She replied.

As Bilbo disappeared into the branches, Halien looked around. She could hear a rustling in the trees off in the distance, but she could discern whether it was Bilbo or if it was… something else. It did not take long for her to get her answer.

A few minutes after Bilbo had climbed to the top, he was seeing the tops of the trees rustling vigorously while Halien and the others below him were being ambushed by giant spiders, like the ones Radagast had spoken of.

"Look out!" Halien cried out as the spiders surrounded them, knocked them into the trees and rocks, knocking them unconscious. Halien drew her dagger and tried to defend herself, her child, but she was pushed backwards and hit her head on a rock. Her world went black and she slumped down, landing on her side. Halien and the others, Bilbo included, were wrapped up in the spiders' webs and dragged to their nest where they were going to be fed upon.

It was not long after that Bilbo had woken up and cut his way out of the sack, freeing himself. He somehow managed to distract the spiders, sending all but one in search of another meal that was not there. Bilbo attacked the one that had stayed behind, killed it, and then cut his companions down. The sacks that contained each of the company members seemed to float down as they fell through the canopies of webs. When they all reached the forest floor, they woke up and realizing they were still trapped, scrambled to free themselves.

"Where's Bilbo?" Bofur asked.

"I'm up here!" the hobbit called down to the others, but stepped back as another spider came upon him. He fought it off, but just as he managed to knock it over the edge of the large branch, the spider hooked its legs around him and pulled him down.

Halien ran to him when he thumped onto the ground and helped him up. She looked to Thorin and he nodded, understanding her gaze. The company drew their weapons and fled, trying to escape the spiders. They ran and ran, fending off most of the attacks, but they were vastly outnumbered and just when they thought they weren't going to make it out alive, an elf jumped onto the back of one of the spiders and rode it into the ground as it slid down the hill.

Before she could see who it was, Halien sensed that Bilbo was off somewhere nearby, safe for the moment, but she sensed that Kili was in grave danger. She turned and ran towards him. As she came into the small clearing where he was, she saw an elf jump out of the trees and attack the spiders. She twisted and spun out of their reach, shooting arrows and stabbing them with her knife. Halien jumped in and cut down the last few that came at them, but the elf threw her blade at the final one that had come upon Kili. She turned and aimed an arrow at the dwarf, but Halien ran and stood in front of him when she realized who it was that had saved him.

"Hello, Tauriel."


	7. Chapter 7

Tauriel led Halien and Kili to join the others and when Legolas looked up at them, his eyes widened.

"Halien?" he said in disbelief.

"Hello, brother." She said, a sad smile upon her face. She was not sure how he was going to react to her being there, but she sighed in relief when he ran to her and pulled her into his arms.

"I have missed you so, little sister." He said.

"And I you, brother." Halien said, her smiled growing bigger.

"You cut your hair?" he asked when he stepped back to take a look at her.

"Is that the first thing everyone notices?" Halien replied. "Aye, though it wasn't necessarily by my choice. An Orc had grabbed my hair and I had to cut myself free in order to escape. Otherwise I'd be dead."

Legolas was glad to see her, despite what had happened within their family. "It is good to see you, but why are you here with these dwarves?"

"They are my travel companions, brother. And my friends." Halien replied.

Thorin smiled at the face Legolas gave her. Legolas did not think Halien would ever seem like a different person, but she seemed more dwarf than elf now.

"Father may not be as happy to see you as I am." He warned.

"I know." Halien replied.

"Search them." Legolas ordered the other elves as he gestured to the dwarves. Bilbo was nowhere to be seen.

Turning to Tauriel, Legolas said in Elvish, "Are the spiders dead?"

Replying in the same tongue, Tauriel said, "Yes, but more will come. They're growing bolder."

Halien joined them in the conversation, asking, "Have these spiders been here long? Are they what has corrupted Greenwood?"

"They come from Dol Guldur." Tauriel told her.

"If that is where they nest, why not go to the source? Hit them where it hurts and eradicate them?" Halien asked.

"Your father only wishes for our borders to remain safe, but I will ask him when I speak with him next." Her old mentor replied.

One of the elves handed Legolas Orcrist and he looked at it, recognizing the craftsmanship. "Where did you get this?" he asked Thorin.

"It was given to me."

"Not just a thief, but a liar as well."

"Legolas, Thorin is no thief, nor is he a liar. He found that sword in a troll horde off the Great East Road and Lord Elrond gave it to him with his blessing. That is Orcrist and with it was Glamdring, which Elrond bestowed upon Gandalf the Grey. Orcrist is rightfully Thorin's as much as Fenumë Dagnir is mine." Halien said, defending her husband.

"You defend him as if you loved him." Legolas observed, then ordered the other elves to follow him and escort the company- except for Bilbo- back to the halls of Thranduil.

As they were being pushed forward, Bofur asked Thorin where Bilbo was. Thorin looked around, but did not see the hobbit anywhere. He looked at Halien.

'Have you seen the Halfling?'

'No, but he is safe. He is close and will follow us, I promise. Do not worry, my love.'

Thorin nodded and followed the others. They wound their way through the trees and went across the bridge that led into the halls Halien Greenleaf once called home. They entered through the doorway and Legolas stopped, sensing something. Halien could sense that it was Bilbo, but he was so well hidden that not even her brother's hawk like eyes could find him. She sent the hobbit a thought to be careful and watched as the door was slammed shut.

While Legolas and Tauriel took the other dwarves to the cells built into the rock walls, a few of the other elves escorted Halien and Thorin to the throne room where they were to meet with Thranduil, the great Elven King of the Woodland Realm.

Halien felt a knot in her stomach as she prepared herself to face her father once again.

As they approached the throne room, Halien reached out to her husband. 'Thorin, please be careful of what you say to my father. Even when I spoke out against him, begging him to help your people- our people- he struck me. He will not hesitate to strike his own flesh and blood, so do not think he will hesitate with you. My father is cold and ruthless and neither he nor my brother know we are married and that I am with child.'

'I will be careful, Halien. I promise.' Thorin replied.

When they stepped into the throne room, Thranduil turned and looked on at them. He seemed displeased at the sight of Thorin, but his gaze softened a bit when he saw Halien standing there. "Halien, welcome home."

"Father, I see you are well." She replied, but did not bow to him.

Thranduil sensed her displeasure being back in the Woodland Realm and smirked. "I did not think you would dare return here after you betrayed me."

"Forgive me, Father, but I did not betray you. You once taught me to follow my heart and the instance that I do, you strike me and exile me from my home. You betrayed me as my father and as my king the moment you turned away from Erebor."

"Do not speak to me of that place. I left to protect our people. I would not risk the lives of our kin to save those dwarves, risk the wrath of a dragon again."

"You turned your back on an ally!" Halien retorted, stepping forward. "Father, you told us lies about the dwarves of Erebor, made our people hate them, and for what? Jewels? Precious gems and stones? Things that are meaningless unless you are greedy and your mind is clouded. Thror did not steal them from us. Those things you so very much desire were found in his kingdom, his realm, not yours. If you had any stake in that land, then perhaps your argument would stand, but those precious stones are of Erebor and belong to the house of Durin."

Thranduil advanced on his daughter, his face cold. "You understand nothing of the world. You are but a child. You've barely seen two hundred years, what would you know of it?"

"I have seen two hundred and sixteen years, which is enough to know the suffering of the people of Dale and the dwarves of Erebor. I know the pain they felt, the sorrow of losing their home and loved ones. You know of my gifts. You know that I would have felt every ounce of pain and suffering they did because of my gifts. Yet you turned me away when I came home, asking for your forgiveness. After I lost the Grotsnev clan, I felt that I did not belong anywhere and I hoped the one place that I still had family would accept me back, would forgive me. No, instead they take me captive and I am exiled."

"You say you know the suffering of those dwarves? Do you know the suffering that you have caused your brother? That you have caused me?" Thranduil demanded, snatching up her hand and putting it to his chest.

Halien was overwhelmed with the rage, sadness, guilt, worry, and fear that had been bottled up inside of her father for so long. Thranduil had lowered his barrier and let everything he felt flow from his mind and crash into his daughter. Just as Halien felt everything he had bottled inside, she had dropped her barrier and pushed her own thoughts into his mind, trying to make him understand what she had to go through since he exiled her. When they were overcome with it all and stumbled back, Thorin caught Halien.

'Are you alright?' he asked.

'Yes.' She replied.

Thranduil panted, then looked at the ring on his daughter's finger. "Who gave you that ring?"

"Reva was a gift, a promise." Halien said. "It matters not to you who gave it to me."

Thranduil sifted through the thoughts and emotions Halien threw right back at him. Finally, composing himself, Thranduil ordered that Halien be taken to a cell with the others.

Thorin was certain that Halien would be alright, but he was not certain how things would go between he and her father.

"There are some who would imagine a noble quest was at hand, a quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon." Thranduil said to Thorin. "I myself, suspect a more prosaic motive. Attempted burglary, or something of that ilk."

Thranduil looked at Thorin. "You have found a way in." he said, then moved back towards his throne. "You seek that which would bestow upon the rite to rule. The King's Jewel. The Arkenstone."

Thorin looked at the floor, unsure of what to say.

Thranduil continued. "It is precious to you beyond measure." The elven king smiled. "I understand that. There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems, of pure starlight." Then, bowing his head, he closed his eyes for a moment and said, "I offer my help."

Thorin smirked. "I am listening."

"I will let you go, if you but return what is mine." Thranduil explained.

Thorin turned and began to pace. "A favor for a favor?"

"You have my word," Thranduil said. "One king to another."

Scoffing, Thorin said, "I would not trust Thranduil, the great king, to honor his word, should the end of all days be upon us." He turned and pointed at Thranduil. "You lack all honor. I have seen how you treat your friends! We came to you once, starving, homeless, seeking your help, but you turned your back! You turned away from the suffering of my people, and the inferno that destroyed us!" He even threw in an insult in dwarvish just before Thranduil advanced on him like he had on Halien.

"Do not speak to me of dragon's fire!" he hissed. "I know its wrath and ruin!" He released the magik that held his appearance together to show Thorin the scars of when he was last burned. "I have face the great serpents of the north. My wife, the mother of my children, was nearly killed by a dragon. Only my daughter was able to defeat the dragon when no others could. I felt the burn of its fire whilst trying to save my wife and children. Why do you think Halien's sword is named Fenumë Dagnir? It is the Dragon's Bane that killed the dragon who took our friends and nearly took her mother from us. My children and I know all too well what dragon fire can do, the destruction it can cause. I was not about to let my people face the same fate as them!"

Thranduil stepped back and pulled his magik forward to conceal the scars and mutilation that ruined his beautiful elven appearance. "I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon. But, he would not listen." Then, going up the stairs to his throne, Thranduil said, "You are just like him." And he waved his hand for the guards to take Thorin to the others. "Stay here, if you will, until you rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf. I am patient. I can wait."

Before he could be dragged away, Thranduil turned to him. "I know that you wed my daughter and that she carries your child. I felt it when she touched my chest. She loves you very deeply. While I am utterly disgusted by it, I do still love her. You best take care of her and never stray from her side, lest I hunt you down and kill you myself."

Thorin's eyes widened and the guards took him away. The guards threw him into the cell Halien was being held in and slammed it shut.

"Did he offer you a deal?" Balin called to him.

"I told him he could go ish kakhfe ai-'d dur-rugnu! Him and all his kin!"

"Thorin, do you mean that? Even about me?" Halien asked.

"Not for you, my love." Thorin, said. "Never for you."

"That's it, then." Balin said, defeated. "That deal was our only hope."

Thorin looked out of the cell door. "Not our only hope."

Halien knew that somewhere, Bilbo was trying to find a way to free them. She felt the babe kick her womb, hard, and winced.

Coming to her side, Thorin sat next to her. "Are you alright? Is the baby alright?"

Halien nodded. "Yes. Here," she said, placing his hand on her womb. She widened her magik and drew in the smalls thoughts of the babe. She sensed a few weeks earlier that it was to be a boy, but said nothing. Thorin could feel and hear the heartbeat of the growing child and somehow, sensed that it was indeed to be a baby boy. He was going to have a son.

Thorin looked at Halien and smiled. "We are having a son?" He murmured, happy at the news.

Halien nodded. "A few weeks ago, I sensed that we were going to have a son. He is strong, little king. Even Beorn sensed it. I'm sorry I did not tell you before."

Thorin kissed her and smiled. "It matters not for we will be a family now." He stood and went to the cell door. "I am having a son!" He called out to the others.

The dwarves smiled and cheered, happy for their king and queen. They were glad for such good news in such a dark moment when they knew they may never leave the Woodland Realm and may never reach Erebor.

Thorin sat back down next to Halien and kissed her. "When we take back Erebor and slay the dragon, we will hold a celebration to honor our son and our marriage."

"That would be wonderful, little king."

At some point, Tauriel had come to check on everyone. Halien was asleep against Thorin's shoulder and the others were sitting in a corner, waiting for freedom. As she slept, Tauriel spoke with Kili. He told her of the promise he had made to his mother, Dis, and then mentioned the loud noises coming from above. Tauriel said it was Mereth e-nGilith, the Feast of Starlight. She then told him about the stars and they talked about their different views and experiences with watching the stars. Above them, Legolas watched as they enjoyed the conversation, a scowl upon his face.

Later on, when Tauriel and Legolas disappeared, Bofur mentioned that it should be close to sun rise.

"We're never going to reach the mountain, are we?" Ori asked.

"Not stuck in here you won't." Bilbo said, suddenly appearing, the keys to their cells in hand.

Thorin woke Halien up as Bilbo unlocked their cell door.

"Bilbo!" Halien exclaimed in a hushed tone when she saw him smile. "Well done, my friend."

Bilbo quickly unlocked each of the cells and the company silently slipped out of them and followed Bilbo and Halien. Bilbo told her of the empty barrels he had found while trying to find a way out for them and she nodded.

"Aye, when the wine is emptied from the barrels, they are sent down to the river that flows to Laketown. The Bargeman of Laketown comes now and then to collect them and bring them back to the town. They are refilled, then transported back to the gates. The door to release the barrels would be an unexpected and excellent way to escape." She explained. "Well done, Bilbo."

Bilbo smiled and they wandered through the halls, avoiding the guards. They made their way through to the room where Merith and Gilian were passed out drunk at the table. Bilbo directed them to get into the barrels. Once everyone was inside of one, Bilbo pulled the lever and the door opened, letting the barrels roll down into the river below. The company waited for Bilbo to join them and then they pushed their way out of the cavern and further down the river.

Halien heard Legolas call for them to shut the gate and the horn blew. Everyone looked ahead of them and watched as the gate slammed shut, trapping them. Then, out of nowhere, the elven guards were attacked by Orcs. Halien looked and saw dozens of Orcs, then she called out when Kili jumped out of his barrel and ran to where the lever was. He fought his way to the lever and tried to pull it, but he was shot with an arrow. Just when Thorin realized that Kili was going to be killed, Tauriel came to their rescue once more.

"Kili!" Halien cried as he pulled the lever and the barrels flowed downstream again.

Fili called to his brother and Kili jumped into his barrel, the shaft of the arrow in his leg snapping. The barrels ran down the river as fast as the current would take them. Halien did not have her bow and arrows with her, nor did she have Fenumë Dagnir- which sadden her deeply- so she was left with her magik. Halien summoned the water magik and struck at the Orcs.

As they made their way down the river, the other elves and Legolas attacked the Orcs and the dwarves grabbed any of the weapons they could to fend off the Orcs. Legolas and Tauriel ran along the river banks, on either side of the company. The river's current pulled them along faster than Halien though. A couple of Orcs managed to hoist Bombur up and out of the water, but he broke the spear and rolled along the bank, crushing the Orcs in his path. When he finally landed, he kicked out the bottom of the barrel and used the club and axe he had in his hands and killed several of the Orcs by spinning around. He threw the weapons to Dwalin and Nori, then jumped into an empty barrel.

Legolas began jumping on the dwarves' heads, back and forth to cross river. He shot his arrows at the Orcs and Halien saw that one was sneaking up behind him. Thorin had seen this, too, and threw the sword he had at the moment at the Orc, killing it before it could get to her brother. Halien thanked him silently and watched as her brother's face fell as they went around the bend and out of the Woodland Realm's borders.

The danger was nearly behind them, and they quickly lost the Orcs that were trailing them. When the current slowed, they made their way to the shore. Everyone got out of their barrels and Halien rushed to Kili.

"Kili, you should have been more careful!" she said. Fili came to her side.

"Get up. We have to keep moving!" Thorin said, looking around.

"Kili's injured. His leg needs binding!" Fili said.

Thorin looked to Halien as the others pointed out that the Orc pack was still behind them and that a vast lake still separated them from the Lonely Mountain.

'Can you heal him? Even quickly before the Orcs get closer?'

Halien shook her head. "I am afraid I cannot, not until we find shelter. I do not recognize this type of arrow. The shaft broke, so there is no real way to tell for sure. He needs to be treated for it immediately."

Thorin nodded. "Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes."

While Fili tended to his brother's light leg, Halien went to the bank and see if there were any weapons that could have washed up onto shore, anything they could take with them if they could procure nothing in Laketown.

Beside her, Ori was emptying his boots into the river and Halien's ears perked up at the faint sound of strange footsteps behind them. She turned to see a Man aiming a bow at them.

Immediately, Halien summoned fire in her hands as Dwalin grabbed a large branch and stood in front of Ori. Before he could advance on the stranger, the bowman shot an arrow through the branch, then shot the stone that Kili had just grabbed.

"Do it again, and you're dead." The bowman warned as he aimed the arrow towards Halien.

"Who are you?" Halien asked.

"I could ask the same of you." The bowman answered. "How is it that you hold fire in your hands?"

"This one of my many talents and skills. If you should like, I can show you more if you see fit to continue aim an arrow at unarmed travelers."

"Your fire does not make you seem as though you are unarmed." The bowman pointed out.

"Just because I can use magik does not mean that it is a weapon. This fire is as much a part of me as that bow is to you. I see how you hold it: you have had years of experience in handling a bow and the way you hold it tells me it is your preferred weapon of choice." Halien said.

The bowman looked at her, curious how an elf of such grace could use such magik.

"I will extinguish my flame if you but lower your bow."

The bowman lowered it and watched as Halien released the magik that held the fire in her palms.

Balin walked over to the Man slowly. "Excuse me, but you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it would be up for hire by any chance?"

The bowman looked at the company. He turned and walked away from them back to his barge and started loading the barrels on board. "What makes you think that I would help you?"

"Those boots have seen better days, as has that coat." Balin observed. "I assume that you have some hungry mouths to feed."

When he asked the bowman how many children he had, the Man answered, "A boy and two girls."

"And your wife, I imagine, is a beauty?" Balin continued, trying to build a good basis with the Man.

"Aye, she was." The Man replied.

Halien felt her heart sink when she heard the sadness in his voice. "I am truly sorry for your loss, sir. I do hope that she is at peace."

The bowman looked at her. "As do I."

Balin's smile fell as he realized what he said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Ugh, come on, come on, enough with the niceties." Dwalin said.

The bowman looked up at him and asked, "What's your hurry?"

"What's it to you?" Dwalin retorted.

"I would like to know who you are and what you are doing in these lands." The bowman said, looking from Dwalin to Balin.

"We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains. We are going to see our kin in the Iron Hills." Balin said, which was partly true.

"Simple merchants, you say?" the Man replied.

Stepping forward, Thorin said, "We need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?"

The bowman turned to look at him. "I know where these barrels came from."

"What of it?" Thorin asked.

"I do not know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think that it ended well."

Halien felt faint and sat down on a nearby rock.

"Are you alright?" the Man said, coming over to her.

"I am fine. You needn't worry." Halien replied, her hand on her womb.

He looked her over, and when he looked at her, Halien nodded as she heard him silently asking her if he could touch her belly. Halien felt content, as she did when Thorin touched her belly, and safe, but she could sense Thorin's unease. "She needs to rest. Whatever happened between you and the elves has worn her out and that's not good for her or the baby." The bowman said, looking to the others. He stood and helped Halien up, ignoring Thorin's glare.

"How do you know she is with child?" Thorin asked.

"I have three children of my own. I can tell when a woman is with child, whether she is human or of Elf kind. And she is showing a bit. I'd say she is nearly six months along?"

Halien struggled to stand, but when she did, she looked at the bowman. "I do not wish to earn you pity, but our energy is spent. We need to find shelter, food, and a safe place to rest and regain our strength. We have been through the hell and high water just to get here and I am weary. I cannot keep on like this without harming my child. Our companion has been injured and there is nothing I can do to heal him until we find safety and shelter. Please, will you not help us?"

The bowman looked at her. She was beautiful, her hair- which glistened like star light- slicked back from the water. Her simple silver headdress glinted in the light and her emerald green eyes held the key to her heart and mind as the Man saw her worry, her fear for her child, and her love for her friends and he felt sympathetic. This elf maiden was regal in the way she stood and the bowman could see that she was strong and good natured.

"No one enters Laketown without leave of the Master. His wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He would see you in irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil." The bowman said.

The bowman threw some rope to Balin and turned to put his quiver and bow aside as Thorin tried to get Balin to convince the Man to let them aboard.

"Father would raze the lands before he let us get away." Halien said to herself, low enough to where the bowman almost didn't hear her.

'Did she say Father?' the bowman thought, trying to understand if she meant Thranduil. 'Could she really be his daughter? The one who was exiled so many years ago? No, she couldn't be… could she?' Choosing to ignore her comment, he turned back to his own business.

"I'll wager there are ways to enter Laketown, unseen?" Balin tried.

"Aye," the Man said. "But for that, you'd need a smuggler."

"For which we will pay double." Balin offered.

The bowman nodded after thinking a moment. "The hobbit and you dwarves will all fit into the barrels. I worry for the elf, though. She should not be hiding in a barrel whilst carrying a child."

Halien smiled at his concern. "I will be fine." She insisted. "I have a card up my sleeve that I can use to help get us in. There will be no trouble."

Thorin nodded and looked to the bowman. "Thank you."

As the bowman steered the barge in and out of ruins and rocks, the dwarves emptied their pockets to pay the Man. They began to argue quietly to themselves and Halien went to the back of the barge.

"May I ask your name, bowman?"

"Bard." He replied.

"Bard the Bowman?" Halien said, thinking a moment. A soft smile played across her lips and she giggled. "I like that."

"And what is your name?"

"I am Halien." She introduced herself. "Bard, I wish to thank you. You are risking much to aid us in our journey, yet you do so despite the risks. I do not think it is just for money, so why?"

Bard sighed, looking at her. "It is for the money. I have to feed my children somehow and the way things are in Laketown, there is not much work to be had and supplies are scarce or very expensive. The taxes are high, too, so we Common folk suffer while those who are higher born feast."

Halien looked at him and saw his frustration. "Have the people of Laketown come to suffer this much in the last fifty years? Last I was here, your town was doing well."

"Aye, we suffer, but we suffer quietly. I sneak in what I can, give what extra I can spare to those who need it more." Bard said. "But I did not mean to ask for pity, forgive me."

"No, it is fine. I am glad I know now, lest I be surprised when we arrive." Halien said, then saw the dwarves stand and gaze through the fog. She turned and saw the peak of the Lonely Mountain and she sighed in relief. "It's so close."

Bard watched her face light up a little while she gazed at the peak and wondered what interest an elf would have in the Lonely Mountain. He watched her shiver and just as he was about to offer her a blanket, he watched her breathe out and a soft glow emanated from her. Her body let off steam that mixed with the fog and she sighed.

"Much better…" she murmured to herself.

"What did you just do there?" Bard asked.

Halien looked at him and smiled. "I used some fire magik to heat the air around the barge. We should be warm for a while." Then she thought back to what he had said earlier. "Bard, I know it is not just for the money that you do this. You do it for your people, to ensure that they can survive, even in the toughest and darkest of times. While I fear even darker days may soon be upon us all, I can see how hard you work to make sure your family is provided for. You care for your town when the Master does not seem to."

Bard was a little surprised at what she said, but he was shocked at what came next.

"My father had appointed me to be the ambassador of our people and I went to Erebor and Dale, even Laketown, and I got to see the illustrious halls of Erebor and the beautiful markets of Dale." Halien began to explain, but Bard watched her face fall. "My father turned from the dwarves of Erebor and the folk of Dale, but I did not want to follow suit. I left my father to come back to help those I could. When I reached the streets of Dale, I found a man, Girion, laying still. I went to him, as I did many others, and tried to heal him. He awoke for a short while and asked if he had killed the dragon."

Bard knew the tale of Girion, King of Dale, who shot a Black Arrow from a Windlance at the dragon, Smaug. He failed, but there were two versions of how it ended.

"I had told Girion that while he tried his best, he did not bring down the dragon- but managed to loosen a scale under the left wing- and it took the Lonely Mountain. He asked me to bring the last of the Black Arrows to his family, hoping that they were safe." Halien had a sad smile on her face. "His last words were to tell his family that he loved them and to pass on his story. I left Dale that day and brought the last Black Arrow to Laketown, where the last of Girion's kin now resided." She looked at Bard. "You remind me of Girion. Something about you, perhaps the lengths you go through in order to protect your family and your people, reminds me of the brave man who faced a dragon alone and almost succeeded in bringing the beast down."

Bard watched as she walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever you do, Bard, never falter from your path. You are a good man, you fight for what you believe is right and you do well by your people and kin. Keep that path and no matter what comes your way, you will always have the better chance."

Bard watched as she smiled and walked back to the dwarves, placing her hand on one of the dwarf's shoulders. He watched as the dwarf smiled and grabbed her hand, stroking it with his thumb. He looked on ahead and realized how close they were. He ran to the others and asked them to pay him right then.

"We will pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin said.

"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." Bard pointed out.

The dwarves turned to look ahead and saw the docks as the fog swirled around the lake's surface. They all quickly got into the barrels and hunkered down as far as they could. Halien accompanied Bard when he went to speak with a fisherman.

"Hello, Bard. Heading back home?"

"Aye, though I have a favor to ask." Bard said. "You see those empty barrels? I was hoping you had a catch that could be spared. I can bring it into town myself in those barrels, hand it out before the main shipment comes in."

"Of course. May I ask who this beautiful elven lady is?"

Bard looked over at Halien as she smiled and bowed to the Man.

"Greetings, good sir. I am Halien, an ambassador of the Woodland Realm. I was tasked with ensuring that our alliance and trade with Laketown is going well. I am accompanying Bard on his journey home so that I may see for myself how it goes in Laketown. I wish to give a full report back to King Thranduil upon my return. If you would be so kind as to help me on my assignment, I would be in your debt."

Bard and the fisherman gazed at in her in wonder, surprised by her regal mannerism. The fisherman nodded and motioned for the others to load the fish onto the barge.

None of the company could see what was going on, but after a few minutes, a huge catch of fish was suddenly dumped on top of them. The barge began to move again and the dwarves were grunting and moaning at the smell.

Bard kicked one of the barrels and said, "Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate." He directed the barge towards the gate and stopped when the gate keeper stood.

"Halt! Goods inspection, papers please!" he called out to Bard. "Oh, it's you Bard."

"Morning, Percy." Bard replied.

"Anything to declare?" Percy asked.

"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired and ready for home." Bard said, handing his papers to Percy as the Man replied with, "You and me both."

Percy looked at the elven maiden. "Who are you, lass?"

"Oh, do forgive me, sir. I am Halien, an ambassador sent from the Woodland Realm. I am tasked with giving a full report to King Thranduil upon my return in regards to how our trade fares with the good people of Laketown. I do not wish to cause any issues with the Master or cause trouble. I can come back another time, if you would prefer?"

Percy seemed to blush at how polite she was. "Oh, no, lass, it is quite alright. Please, enjoy your visit to Laketown. I hope you are pleased with what you find."

Halien smiled and thanked him.

The Man stamped the papers and handed them back to Bard. "There you are. All in order."

"Not so fast." A sleazy looking man said. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm."

Bard sighed.

"Only, they're not empty, are they Bard?" The Man said. "If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman."

"That's none of your business." Bard replied.

"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which means it's my business."

"Oh, come now Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat!" Bard retorted.

"These fish are illegal." Alfrid said. "Empty the barrels over the side."

One of the Men with Alfrid ordered the others to do as they were told.

Alfrid at this point had just noticed Halien standing there. "And who might you be, my dear elven beauty?"

Bard rolled his eyes and stepped closer to Halien as Alfrid tried to advance towards her with a disgusting smile upon his lips. Halien put a hand on Bard's arm and smiled reassuringly. 'Bard, do not start. I will handle this, but you must trust me.'

Bard nodded, hearing her voice in his head as clearly as he would if she had spoken aloud. He watched as Halien approached Alfrid.

"Hello. As I have told your gate keeper here, I am Halien. I am an ambassador from the Woodland Realm and I am to give a full report to King Thranduil upon my return on how our business and trade with Laketown is faring. I have the papers here, if you would like to see the order yourself." Halien said, then pulled out a bundle of papers.

Alfrid shook his head when he saw the large bundle. "No, no, it would be unwise for us to doubt the legitimacy of your assignment. We value our trades with the Woodland Realm."

"As you should." Halien replied.

Just as the men began to tip the barrels over, Bard said, "Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce."

"Not my problem." Alfrid said.

"When the people hear that the Master is dumping fish back into the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?"

"Your name was Alfrid, was it not?" Halien asked. "I have allowed these fish to be transported in the barrels. Bard has the royal pardon of his majesty, Thranduil. Are you willing to risk his wrath should he learn that you were interfering with official business?"

Alfrid was clearly afraid of the idea of a riot and even more so by the thought of the Elven King's wrath, so he ordered the Men to stop. "Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the Common folk? You even got the elven ambassador on your side. You might have their favor now, Bargeman, but it won't last." And with that, he stalked away.

"Raise the gate." Percy called out. Bard thanked him and steered his barge through the gate and into the town.

"The Master has his eye on you." Alfrid said to Bard, stopping for a moment. "You'd do well to remember: we know where you live."

Bard scoffed and said, "It's a small town, Alfrid. Everyone knows where everyone lives."

Bard navigated through the waterways and stopped when it was safe. He kicked over a few barrels and pushed over some of the others. He helped Halien off the barge and smiled a bit when she silently thanked him, then paid the old man that was standing there staring at them.

"You never saw them, they were never here." Bard told him. "The fish you can have for nothing."

The old man nodded and Bard led them through the streets, through the throng of people. The people of the Lake stared and muttered amongst themselves.

"Keep your heads down and keep moving." Bard instructed.

As they made their way through, a guard spotted them. "Halt! Oi!"

Halien stopped and looked at Bard. 'We have to get away, Bard. We cannot be stopped!'

"We have to move. Come on." Thorin said and they started to run.

"In the name of the Master of Laketown, I said halt!" the guard called again.

Halien looked desperately at Bard as the dwarves weaved through the people. The guards chased after them and they incapacitated them.

The guard commander, Braga, cane up with some more men and looked around.

"What's going on?" he demanded as the people scattered and went back to their business. "Stay where you are. Nobody leaves."

Halien and Bard stood next to each other while the dwarves hid. As Braga came around the corner, Bard acted as if he had just run into the Man. "Braga."

"You." Said, looking at him sternly.

"Sorry?" Bard asked as Halien came up beside him.

"Is everything alright, commander?" Halien asked.

Ignoring her, Braga glared at Bard. "You, what are you up to?"

Behind them, one of the guards was beginning to stir, but the woman potting Kingsfoil discreetly knocked over one of the pots and it hit him on the head. The people quickly covered him up and made it look like there was nothing but the weed and crates.

"Me?" Bard asked. "Nothing. I'm looking for nothing."

"Yeah." Braga said, suspiciously. As he investigated the noise and found nothing, Bard came up behind him with a blouse.

"Hey, Braga." Bard said. "Your wife would look lovely in this."

"What do you know of my wife?" Braga demanded.

"I know her as well as any Man in this town." Bard replied, shrugging innocently.

Halien giggled a bit when the commander stormed off with his men behind him. Bard motioned for her and the others to follow him.

As they continued through the back paths of the town towards their destination, wherever that may be, Bard's son came running up to him.

"Da, our house. It's being watched." He said.

Bard nodded and had the company hide. He and Halien went up to the house, following his son. Bard took an apple and whistled to the Men below. "You can tell the Master I'm done for the day." He said and tossed the apple to the elder of the two.

Bard followed Halien into the house and Halien stepped aside as a young girl and her older sister ran to him.

"Da! Where have you been?" the youngest said.

"Father! There you are! I was worried." Said the eldest.

"Here, Sigrid." Bard said, handing the satchel he carried to her. Then to his son, he said, "Bain, get them in."

The youngest girl looked at the elf maiden standing by the door as her brother ran downstairs. "Who are you, miss?"

Halien smiled at the girl. "I am Halien. You are Bard's children?"

The girls nodded. The eldest looked at Halien. "Are you visiting Father?"

Halien shook her head. "No, I am here on business. Your father has been kind enough to help me."

Down at the bottom of the stairs, Bain knocked on the wall.

Dwalin was the first to come up. "If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off." He growled at the lad. When he tried to help Dwalin out, the dwarf smacked away his hand and told him to get off.

"Up there." The boy said, pointing up the stairs. Next came Bilbo, then the rest followed suit.

"Da, why are there dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" The older girl asked as she watched the company march up the stairs.

"Do they bring us good luck?" the youngest girl said.

Halien went to the fireplace and used her magik to increase the heat of the fire, but she felt faint, having used more energy for her magik than she thought. Bard saw her stumbled into the side of the hearth and quickly scooped her up in his arms, carrying her over to his bed. He set her down on and grabbed an extra blanket for her.

"Thank you, Bard." She said, her vision blurry. 'Thorin?'

Thorin hurried over to her and sat beside her. She rested her head against him and passed out.

"Is she OK?" the youngest girl asked.

"She's just weary from travel." Bard said.

Balin and the others knew that she was risking herself to keep them and her baby safe and warm, but they feared she would grow ill if she did not rest as long as she would need to fully regain her strength.

Bard and his daughters, Tilda- the youngest- and Sigrid-the eldest- began handing out some extra clothes and boots. "They may not be the best fit, but they'll keep you warm." Then, handing a heavy gown to Thorin, Bard said, "This was one of my wife's gowns. Halien looks to be the same size as she was. It's lined with wool and will keep her and your child plenty warm."

"How did you know?" Thorin asked him.

"I've seen how you look at each other. My wife used to look at me the way Halien looks at you. She loves you deeply. I also saw the ring on her finger. Its dwarvish markings match those on your own ring, so I assumed that you are married to her and that you are the father of her child."

Thorin was impressed with his deducing skills and took the gown. "Thank you."

Bard nodded and asked the eldest of his girls to start handing out mugs of hot tea for their guests. Seeing to it that Halien was comfortable, Thorin stood to put on the new clothes and walked over to the window.

As he gazed out of it, he saw something he had not for over sixty years. "A dwarvish windlance…"

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Bilbo said, coming to stand next him.

"He has." Balin said, joining them. "The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came."

Thorin began to remember the events as clear as day. Balin began telling Bilbo of Girion, the lord of Dale, and his men and how they fought to bring down the dragon. Only a black arrow fired from a windlance could bring down a dragon. Balin told of how Girion fired two of the three black arrows that were ever made.

"Had the aim of Men had been true that day, much would be different." Thorin said.

"You speak as if you were there." Bard said, overhearing the tale being retold.

"All dwarves know the tale," Thorin said, choosing his words carefully.

"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon." Bard's son, Bain, said. "He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more hit and he would have killed the dragon."

Behind him, Dwalin shook his head and chuckled. "That's a fairy story, lad, nothing more."

Thorin stepped forward. "You took our money. Where are the weapons?"

Off to the side, Halien had stirred and tried to stand. Sigrid rushed to her side as she stumbled back. "Miss, you must rest!"

"Do not worry about me. You should not be so rude to the one who saved our hides and has risked much to keep us hidden and safe." She replied, gently scorning her husband.

"I like her." Bain murmured to his father. Bard smirked at Thorin and told him to wait there. He turned and left for a moment, returning with a large bundle in his arms. He unraveled it, having missed the conversation Balin, Thorin, Fili, and Kili had just spoken about Durin's Day coming upon them two days from then.

Bard opened the bundle and showed the dwarves what he could gather. As they inspected them and asked what they were, he explained to them what each weapon was. "They are heavy in hand, I'll admit, but in defense of your life, they will suffice."

"We paid you for weapons!" Gloin said. "Iron forged swords and axes!"

The others agreed that the weapons were cheap and useless, arguing with Bard. Halien tried to sit up, but Sigrid told her to stay laying down. "You should be grateful he could even manage those!" she said, straining herself as she stood. Looking to Bard, she bowed her head. "Thank you, Bard, these may not be much to them but we appreciate the effort you went through."

Bard could see how weary she was, how hard she was trying to look after the others, how strong she was trying to be for them. "Halien, there is no point in straining yourself further. You must rest." He said to her. She looked at him and saw his concern.

"I'll be fine. I need to check Kili's wound." She said.

Kili looked at her and nodded. He sat down and she knelt beside him, checking the wound.

"Kili, I can pull the shaft out, but it'll hurt." Halien said, looking at her friend. "Quite a bit actually. I can remove it with my earth magik, and pull it out using the wood of the shaft. Do you trust me?"

Kili looked from her to his uncle, to his brother, then back to Halien. "Always, milady."

Halien looked at Bard. "Do you have whiskey or something of the like to cleanse the wound? And something for Kili to bite down on?"

Bard nodded and fetched a flask and a roll of fabric that he wrapped around a piece of wood for her. Handing it to her, he stood back with the others and watched as Halien took the clean cloth Tilda gave her, wet it with the alcohol. She cleansed the wound and pressed firmly on his thigh.

"Are you ready?" she asked him.

When Kili nodded, Halien focused on her earth magik and began to direct the shaft out of the wound. Kili winced, then bit down on the clothed piece of wood, trying not to cry out in pain as the shaft moved through his muscles and flesh, the arrowhead still attached. Halien tried to direct it straight and upward, trying to avoid causing more damage than she could fix. It took her a few minutes, but the elf maiden was finally able to retract the entire remnant of the shaft from his thigh. Kili panted as Halien set aside the shaft piece, then took the bit out of his mouth when she started to heal his leg, using her magik to knit the muscles together again as best as she could.

After a while, Halien stood and sighed. "That's all I can do for now. The muscles are knit back together, but the wound is still deep and needs time to heal."

Kili felt his thigh and smiled a bit. "It feels better." He looked up at her. "Thank you, Aunt."

Halien smiled and kissed his forehead. "You have to promise to take it easy. I do not recognize the shaft nor the arrowhead, so I cannot be certain how long it will take for you to heal. Any strenuous activity will tear the muscles."

"I promise."

Bard was impressed with what Halien was able to do, but he sighed when he realized they needed to get back to the task at hand. "These are the best weapons you can find outside of the armory. Those weapons are under lock and key and constant guard, so there's no way for you to get in unseen." Bard explained.

Balin tried to talk to Thorin and when Bard heard Thorin's name be spoken, he had a look about him. He excused himself and was gone for some time.

While Bard was gone, Thorin took Halien aside. "Halien, we need better weapons. You know we do."

"I know, my love, but the best weapons are locked away in the armory." Halien replied.

"I know." Thorin said, looking up at her. "We're going to retrieve what we can and leave before first light."

Halien looked at the children, who were standing there amongst the dwarves unsure of what to do. Bain was left in charge while his father was away, but even he was clueless. 'Thorin, you mean for us to steal weapons from these people?' she thought to him. 'What if Smaug is still within the mountain? What if we wake him and he comes after Laketown? Are you willing to risk that happening?'

Thorin took her hands in his and held them firmly. "We need better weapons. We need a greater chance of being able to fight off the beast if it remains and should wake. I am only doing what I think is best for the company."

Halien sighed and nodded. "And that's why you want me to stay here."

Thorin felt his chest tighten and it seemed as if his heart were to fall into his boots. "I want you to be safe. If we get caught and there is a delay in our plans, then we may never reach the mountain in time to find the keyhole. If we get caught, I do not want the guards to touch you. It would be safer for you to meet us at the docks than to come with us right now."

Halien looked her husband in the eyes. "Do you still want me to come with you to the mountain? Do you still want me to see this quest through with you until the very end?"

Thorin searched her eyes as he replied, "Of course, Halien. I want you there with the company, with _me_ , when we reach the hidden door. Your skills are going to be much needed if we face the dragon." He put a hand on her belly and smiled softly. "But I do not think that we should risk you or the babe any further, nor do I think that dream you had before we were married in Rivendell will come to pass."

Halien smiled. "You know I will always protect us: the company, you, and our son. If you still want me to stay here, then I shall." She looked at Kili as he struggled to stand. "I want to go with you, though, Thorin. My fire magik would be useful against the dragon."

Thorin pulled her down for a kiss. "Stay here, be safe. If we fail, and the dragon comes for this town, I need you to help them protect it. I need you to survive, for our son, for me."

"Very well, little king." Halien replied. "When will you leave?"

"Soon, when the light begins to fade."

Halien nodded and sat down. Thorin sat next to her and told her to rest for a bit. Halien nodded and closed her eyes, leaning her head against the edge of the mantle.

It was not long after she awoke that Halien found the dwarves were gone. She looked at the gown Bard had given her and had a thought. She turned to Sigrid and Tilda. "Girls, may I ask you something?"

The two sisters looked at her. "What?" Sigrid asked.

"Your father gave me this gown. It was once your mother's?" Halien asked.

Tilda nodded. "Mama was so beautiful in it."

Halien smiled, but felt a pain in her chest. "Is it alright with you that I wear it?"

The girls smiled. "It's alright, miss." Sigrid said. "It is yours now, so you may do with it as you choose."

Halien smiled and thanked the girls. They begged her to go and try it on, so Halien went to another part of the house, hidden from view and changed into the gown. She had taken off her leggings, letting them dry by the fireplace, so she pulled on the gown and smoothed out the front and smiled. She looked up when a loud bang came from the door.

"Da, I tried to stop them!" Bain said.

"How long have they been gone?" Bard asked.

Halien came around the corner, dressed in the gown that Bard had given Thorin for her. Bard looked up at her, his eyes widening. The gown he had handed to Thorin was a fur lined wool gown dyed a brilliant blue- though it had faded with age- with a leather belt. Its long sleeves were cuffed with fur as was the collar and the hem. It reached her ankles and swirled around her boots. Halien looked up at him.

"What? Does it look weird?" she asked, pressing the gown against her sides.

"No," Bard said. "It looks beautiful on you."

Halien smiled. "It fits really well and it's warm, so thank you Bard."

Bard and his children looked at the elf maiden. She was beautiful and with her hair dry, it started to curl at its ends. She smoothed out the front of the gown and looked back up at Bard. She heard Thorin calling out to her with a thought and knew something was wrong.

"Thorin…!"


	8. Chapter 8

Halien and Bard ran through the streets as the townsfolk gathered in front of the Master's estate. Halien saw the sleazy man, Alfrid, peek out the door, then slam it shut. Seconds later, the Master came barging out the door, demanding what was going on.

"Caught them trying to steal weapons from the armory, sire." The guardsman said.

'Oh, no…' Halien thought. She had not yet risen up her shield, so Bard heard her.

"How is it that you can do that?" he asked. "How is it that I can hear you in my head?"

Halien looked at him. "I was born with an ancient elven magik that- according to the eldest of my people- has not been seen since the First Age. It grants me the ability to control the elements, to speak to others with my mind, and I can speak to animals. I can heal with and without herbs and have been using my magik and abilities to aid my companions on our journey. I normally have a shield raised to block out the thoughts of my companions, as it got too overwhelming some months ago. I apologize if you felt that I invaded your mind in anyway."

'Incredible.' He thought. He had heard of elven magik being wonderful, but this was something else. He shook his head and answered her. "It's alright, I've just never experienced anything like it."

Halien and Bard both looked towards the estate when they heard the Master speak.

"Enemies of the state, then?" the Master asked.

"Eh, just a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire." Alfrid said.

"Bard, I have to help them." Halien said and before he could stop her, Bard watched as she pushed her way through the crowd. Not sure what else to do, he followed her.

"Hold your tongue!" Dwalin said. "You do not know to whom you speak."

"Dwalin, don't!" Halien said as she reached them. "It is not the time."

"Lass, we are so close that it does not matter anymore." Dwalin said to her, then turned to speak to the Master. "This is no common criminal. This is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror."

The crowd gasped and Thorin stepped forward. "We are the dwarves of Erebor." He said. "We have come to reclaim our homeland."

Thorin looked around as the crowded townsfolk began to murmur amongst each other. "I remember this town, in the days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and gems. It was not some forsaken town on a lake. This was the center of trade in all the North! I would see those days return, I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches once more from the Halls of Erebor!"

Halien smiled as the townsfolk cheered. "Lord Master of Laketown," she began as she come to Thorin's side. "We have traveled from the farthest reach of the Shire through the Misty Mountains, into Goblin tunnels and through the once great Greenwood of the Woodland Realm. We have faced many perils and have fought through each battle that came upon us so that we may reach the Lonely Mountain. It has been our quest for over a year to come this far and we ask for your aid in helping us to reclaim the once great dwarven stronghold of Erebor."

The Master looked at her. "Who are you, elf? And why do you speak for these dwarves?"

Halien stood straight and looked him right in the eye. "I am Halien Greenleaf, daughter of the Elven King, Thranduil. My father has traded with your town and has given you the wealth you now have. I was an ambassador of the elves for Erebor, Dale, and Laketown and since the days of old I have traveled the lands, aiding those who fled from the burning lands. I have seen Erebor and I would give anything to help these dwarves reclaim it so that I can once more see the grand halls and gaze upon its beauty as I did in days of old. It is my quest to aid my husband and my kin here in reaching the end of the quest and I would gladly lay down my life for them."

"Your husband?" the Master asked.

Halien put a hand on Thorin's shoulder. "I am the wife of Thorin Oakenshield, the rightful King under the Mountain, and I carry his son. If you can help us succeed in our quest, Thorin and I can promise you that we will bring back the Laketown we knew of old. We will help rebuild the lost city of Dale and we will bring back the wealthy trade of the North and our kingdoms will be whole once more."

Thorin looked up at her and smiled.

"Death! That is what you bring upon us." Bard said as he came forward. "Dragon fire and ruin."

"Bard, please don't." Halien began.

"If you waken that beast," Bard said, looking from Halien to Thorin. "It will destroy us all."

"You can listen to this nay sayer, but I promise you this: if we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain." Thorin said. "You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!"

The townsfolk cheered and Halien smiled. Thorin was already proving to her that he was a great king.

"Why should we take you at your word?" Alfrid asked. "We know nothing about you. Who here can vouch for your character?"

"Me." Bilbo said. "I'll vouch for him."

Halien looked over at the Hobbit and smiled.

"I have traveled far with these Dwarves, through great danger, and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word, then he will keep it." Bilbo said.

"All of you, listen!" Bard said. "You must listen to me! Have you all forgotten what happened to Dale?"

The crowd grew quiet as they remembered the horrible fires that had taken Dale. Many of them had been there the day the dragon razed the city streets to the ground.

"Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!" Bard asked.

"Bard…" Halien tried to say.

"And for what purpose?" he asked again, ignoring her. "The blind ambition of a mountain king so riven by greed that he cannot see past his own desire!"

"That is enough, Bard!" Halien said. "You do not understand what Thorin has had to go through to get us to this point. You have not seen the strife he has dealt with to rebuild a home for his people. Thorin Oakenshield is as great of a king there ever was and he has earned the right to reclaim Erebor."

Bard and the townsfolk looked at her. "Halien, I…" he said, bewildered.

"Since the day that my father abandoned the dwarves of Erebor, I have fought to push through the damage that he caused. I helped those that I could, those who fled the fires of Erebor and Dale. I could hear all of those poor, helpless people crying and screaming inside my head. Women and children! Men, lying dead in the streets! I ran through the burning streets of Dale, trying to find any survivors, as I did with the plains before Erebor. I helped many people in those times and do you know what I was rewarded with? Exile from my homeland. Abandonment of my family. Outcasted by those I thought were my friends. I am no longer an elf of the Woodland Realm, no longer the daughter of King Thranduil, nor will I ever serve him again. I am the wife of Thorin, King under the Mountain, and the mother to the next Heir to the line of Durin. I battled alongside these brave dwarves through my obstacles and challenges, having to prove that I am worthy to be on this quest, and even through all of that, Thorin never once turned me aside. He hated my father, my people, and he probably hated me too, but he let me prove that I was not my father and after everything we have been through, that this company has been through, it has all led us here."

Halien stopped and looked around at all of the townsfolk and the dwarves. "Thorin Oakenshield is not a greedy man. He has sacrificed everything for his people and has faced many obstacles in this endeavor. When he makes a promise, he keeps it. If he swears to retake Erebor and fire up the ancient forges once more, then that is what he will do. With the skills that these dwarves, our young Hobbit friend, and myself have we will retake the Lonely Mountain, and we will defeat the fire drake, Smaug. Upon the ancestors of old and in the name of Durin, this I swear."

Bard looked at her and suddenly knew why she appeared to be so regal. She was a strong person, beautiful and powerful. She was gentle and kind, always looked after her companions before herself, but if they were in danger, she jumped to the rescue and defended them with all her might. She was a princess of elves who married a dwarf king and carried the son that would forever uphold their alliance and bond. She was going to be the Queen of Erebor and she knew that they could reclaim the mountain, rebuild Erebor and even promised to rebuild Dale. Every bit of her- her personality, her tenacity, her bravery- made Bard's heart race.

Despite what she said, the townsfolk were still uncertain. They murmured amongst themselves until the Master spoke.

"Now, now, we must not, anyone us, be too quick to lay blame." He said, then pointed to Bard. "Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, **_your_** ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!"

As the townsfolk began to remember, Bard knew that no one would listen. He looked up at Halien, hoping for a sign that perhaps she would understand despite her oath to the company.

"Bard, why did you not tell us?" she asked him. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

"I did not want to remember the failings of my ancestor. That is why I tried so hard to tell the truth of what happened, that if he had not died that day and managed to shoot one final arrow, Smaug the Terrible would have been slain and Erebor would not have been taken." Bard explained, his eyes searching hers.

"Bard…"

"That is a fairy story!" Dwalin said. "Girion failed to slay the beast and Dale and Erebor all paid for it."

Halien looked at Dwalin. "Hush, my friend. It is not a fairy story and at least Girion tried. He did what he could to fight off the dragon and it is not his fault that he failed. Girion and his bowmen were either razed with the fires that consumed Dale or they were knocked off the battlements by the dragon's tail. Girion had fallen when I found him in the streets. He had been hit by the tail of Smaug and his whole body lay bloody and broken. There was nothing I could do for him and he died, fearing that he would be remembered as the king who failed to bring down the beast, and not the king who tried to save his people and allies but fell to the beast whose might was stronger than his own."

She looked around at the townsfolk. "You should not be so quick to judge a man's failings when you yourselves were so fearful and afraid that you ran for your lives before thinking of standing and fighting. The women and children I can understand, but all you men! You should have stood with Girion and his bowmen and done what you could have to help them and fight for your home, the safety of you families, and to prove to Middle Earth that you were the bravest amongst men. Instead, you cowered and ran, leaving your lord and king to fall in your place! Bard is not a bad man, nor was Girion. Whatever Girion had failed to do is not upon Bard and you should not force him to relive the failings of his ancestor. He knows the true story because I was the one who brought it to Girion's family and asked that they pass it down." She looked at Bard for a moment. "I am glad to see that the true story of how Dale's king defended his beloved city until his death still runs strong in Bard's family."

The Master and the townsfolk looked between her and Bard, unsure of what to do. Alfrid, however, knew exactly what to do.

"It's true, my lord. We all know the story. Arrow after arrow he shot." Alfrid said. "Each one missing its mark."

Bard ignored the man's words and walked up to Thorin. "You have no right. No right to enter that mountain."

Halien put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head. "Bard, please don't."

Thorin glared up at him. "I have the only right."

Halien and all the others watched as he began to ascend the stairs. "I speak to the Master of the Men of the Lake. Will you help us reach the mountain? Will you share in great wealth of our people?"

The Master thought a moment, looking around at his people.

"What say you?" Thorin asked.

"I say, unto you, welcome! Welcome and welcome thrice, King Under the Mountain!"

The townsfolk cheered and Thorin smiled at his company. He offered a hand to Halien and she took it. He pulled her in close and kissed her.

"We're going home." He said when he pulled away, hugging her.

"Aye, little king. Home." Halien smiled, then turned back to the crowd. She smiled as they cheered for her husband, wishing him and the company well. Her smile faded, though, when she watched Bard slip away from the crowd, his shoulders sunken.

Halien felt an uneasiness in her stomach, not sure what it was from. She watched as the Master invited the company to join him for dinner to celebrate their welcome and wish them well on their journey to the mountain. She followed the company and Thorin into the estate and the festivities began.

The night was still young, midnight not far away. Halien was beginning to feel nauseas as things got more festive and drunken. She excused herself and went outside. Thorin didn't really notice while he was talking to the Master of the kinds of wealth and gems and silks that could be made once more in the Halls of Erebor.

Halien decided to walk around the town for a bit, try to clear her head. She wandered through the docks, walking along the plank walkways that wove through the buildings. As she walked, she sang softly to herself in the elvish language.

Sitting outside, Bard looked up at the sky, seeing the moon peek through the misty cloud cover. He sighed, wishing that someone had listened to him. He stood to go back in side, but he heard someone singing in the silence. Everyone was at the estate, joining the festivities, so he did not think that anyone would be outside. He walked around, trying to find the source of the song. He turned a corner and saw Halien walking alone down the street.

"Halien?" he asked, coming up to her.

She turned and smiled. "Hello, Bard."

"What are you doing out? You should be with your husband and the others, celebrating." Bard said, a disappointed and angry tone in his voice.

"Bard…" Halien said, feeling the near venom in his voice. "Please, understand. Thorin needs to do this, for his people."

"But you do not!" Bard said, coming up to her and grabbing her hands in his. "It is too dangerous a task!"

Halien looked up at him. She was a young elf, not as tall as some her age back in the Woodland Realm, but Bard was taller than her by the same amount that she was taller than Thorin by. "Bard, I love Thorin and I would do anything for him. If he asked me to go with him, then I would, but he has asked me to stay here and remain safe."

Bard searched her face, then turned away. "Halien… I was afraid that you would go with them, that you would risk the babe..."

"Why?" she asked.

Bard turned and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. "If you had gone with them, I would never have forgiven myself if you or the babe were hurt. You are with child and you should not risk your life and the life of your son to go on a quest that may end in failure and death. I wouldn't have let you go, Halien, I would have tried to stop you. It would've gone against all that I believe in to let you go into such peril."

Halien, much to her own surprise, hugged him back and smiled. He smelled like sandalwood and spices, much different than how Thorin smelled of musky leather and pipe smoke. She loved the scent of her husband, but the scent of Bard was surprisingly different and just as comforting. "Oh, Bard." She said softly, curious as to how close they seemed to be after only a day.

Bard held onto her for a moment until Halien pushed her hands onto his chest. He looked at her and said, "I've only known you for a day, but something about you makes my heart ache, my chest tighten, and my head spin. I do not know or understand what it is, but I cannot let you go and risk you never coming back. I want to figure out what it is that happens to me when I am around you. I can only do that if you remain here. If you had gone with them and died, I'd have never known what this feeling is..."

"When I was a little girl, a fire drake like Smaug came upon us while we were returning home from visiting a family friend. They had a vast amount of wealth in gold and other jewels, having struck lucky in a nearby mine, and the drake wished to claim it. My mother was severely injured when she tried to protect my brother and I- having been thrown against a tree. My father tried to save her, but he suffered the wrath of dragon's fire and was severely injured as well. When my brother had been knocked aside and I took up my mother's sword and with the help of my magik, I redirected the fire back at the dragon and threw water at it to weaken it before I drove the blade in between its scales and into its heart. I slayed the beast that day. My mother began to recover from the attack, but soon after, the Battle at Gundabad began and she fell in battle. My father returned, but I knew by the look in his eyes that my mother was gone forever. After she had died, my father had not brought her body back to have her buried in her favorite grove. There is nothing now, no grave, no way to hold her memory. Her sword was given to me and named Fenumë Dagnir- Dragon's Bane in the Common tongue- and I wish it had not been taken from me while the others and I were in Mirkwood. I was eighty years old when my mother died, but I know that she would be proud of me for going through with this. She would have understood that I had to do this."

Bard listened as she told him the story of her mother's death.

"Bard, when we first met, you saw I could wield fire in my palms. You heard me speak to you with my thoughts. If go with them and we face the dragon, should it wake, I can use my magik to help my kin of dwarves to defeat the dragon." Halien said. "But I am staying here and I will protect myself and my child, I promise. Thorin wishes me to protect Laketown if they fail and the dragon comes for us." Halien smiled. It had only been a single day since they had met and it already seemed as if they had known each other for a lifetime. She reached up and kissed his cheek, then hugged him. "If the dragon wakes and Thorin cannot stop him within the mountain, I swear to you, Bard the Bowman, descendant of Girion, Lord of Dale, that I will help you fight the dragon. One way or another, that beast will fall and we will rebuild Dale, reclaim Erebor and renew the Northern trade, and all will be back to how it once was."

Halien touched his cheek and smiled. Bard put a hand to hers and looked at her. "Halien…"

Halien stood on her toes and kissed his forehead. "I will not go with them, Bard. I promised Thorin I would stay for the sake of our child and I will promise you that I will stay here with you and your people." She said, then turned to walk back to the estate. Before she rounded the corner, she looked back at him. "Bard, if Thorin and the others cannot defeat Smaug in the mountain, he will come after Laketown. I swear to you that we will fight to protect Laketown together. If the battle with the beast seems to be a lost cause, you will need to use the Black Arrow to bring down the beast. I treated the Black Arrow that day Dale fell, when Girion gave it to me, with water magik so when you pierce the dragon's hide, the water magik infused with the metal of the arrow will help extinguish the fire in his heart. You will not fail, Bard, I am sure of it. Everything will be alright."

Bard watched as she disappeared around the corner and he stood there, dumbfounded. Every bit of the elf maiden made his heart race, his head ache. She was beautiful, powerful, strong, brave, and he somehow knew that nothing he said would alter her choice and stop her from taking the path she knew she must take. Somehow he knew that her words were not empty, that she would make certain that all promises she and Thorin had made would be kept.

The festivities ended that night and the following morning, the Master had his servants ready the company, fitting them with tunics and cloaks and armor, gifting them with plenty of weapons, and gave them a boat to sail the rest of the way across the lake to the base of the mountain. Thorin had woken Halien up and told her it was time to go. She nodded and they were ready to leave within minutes. As they descended the steps of the Master's estate, Halien almost hoped that Bard would be there. She did not see him anywhere as the crowds cheered as they walked through the streets.

"You do know that we are one short." Bilbo said to Thorin. "Where's Bofur?"

"If he is not here, we leave him behind." Thorin said.

"We'll have to if we are to find the door before nightfall." Balin pointed out. "We can risk no more delays."

The company continued to the boat readied for them. They loaded themselves onto the small boat, but Thorin stopped Kili before he could get on.

"Not you." Thorin told him. "We must travel with speed and you will slow us down."

"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you." Kili said, thinking his uncle were joking with him.

"Not this time." Thorin told him, shaking his head. He knew that Kili wanted to come with them, but his injury was too severe and he was too weak to be able to make the rest of the journey.

Kili would not hear of it. "I'm going to be there when that door is opened." He insisted. "When we first look upon the Halls of our fathers, Thorin…"  
"Kili," Thorin said, trying to make him understand. "Stay here. Rest. Join us when you're healed."

"I'll stay with the lad." Oin said. "My duty lies with the wounded."

Fili looked up at Thorin. "Uncle, we grew up on tales of the mountain, tales you told us! You cannot take that away from him!"

Kili shook his head. "Fili…"

"I will carry him if I must!" Fili said, begging his uncle.

"Fili, one day you will be king and you will understand." Thorin told him. "I cannot risk this quest for the sake of one dwarf. Not even my own kin."

Halien put a hand on Thorin's shoulder. "Fili, understand how hard it is for your uncle to leave your brother behind. We all want to be there when we find the door and it is opened, but Kili is hurt and I have done all that I can to heal him right now. Oin will take care of him- he has learned what I have taught him about healing well- so please, do not worry."

Fili looked at her and nodded, then looked at his brother. He stepped up off the boat, but Thorin stopped him.

"Fili, don't be a fool. You belong with the company."

"I belong with my brother." Fili retorted.

"Thorin, let him go. If he wishes to stay with Kili, then let him. It will mean you are short a few members of the company, but it will mean that Kili is well looked after and can join you sooner." Halien told him as he looked up her.

He smiled and nodded. "Will you be alright here? I know that you wish to come with us, but you understand why I need you here?" he asked.

Halien nodded. "I am nearly six months along, but I still some time before the babe is ready. I will be alright, graceful and nimble as ever."

He put a hand on her belly, feeling the child growing within her womb. He felt a pain in his chest, but he looked up at her. "I need you safe. While you have been doing fine thus far, the path to the mountain is much more treacherous and rough since the day Erebor fell. I know that we could make use of your magik against the dragon, but I still need you here, safe, not just because I do not want you to get hurt and we risk losing our child, but I need you to look after Kili for me."

Halien knew he was right. She knew that Kili needed her more than they would need her on the mountain and Thorin was only thinking of what was best for her and their son. She nodded and kissed her husband.

"I will be just fine, little king. I will look after Kili and keep our son safe. If you need me, though, you have to but think it and I will know." She told him.

Thorin kissed her once more and nodded. "Of course. If things do not turn out as well as we hope, I will warn you. If the dragon awakens and comes for Laketown, I will warn you. If Smaug does comes for the town, will you protect them until we can return?"

Halien hugged him tightly. "Of course, my love. Now, best be off before you lose the light."

Thorin nodded and boarded the boat, shoving off with one last look at Halien before she used her magik to whip up a current to take them quicker down the waterway.

The Master bid the company farewell and they were off. As they rowed down the canal to reach the vastness of the lake, Halien heard Bofur as he reached her, Kili and the others.

"Bofur, I am sorry, they could not wait any longer. Thorin asked me to stay behind to take care of Kili. He's very sick and I cannot do much to heal him with my current skill." She said to him.

Bofur looked after the boats as they disappeared from view. He sighed, but then his attention was immediately drawn to Kili as he began to grimace in pain and groaned.

Halien looked at him in fear and knew immediately from the progression of his illness that he had been hit with a Morgul shaft. "Oh no, ancestors no!"

"What, what is it?" Fili asked.

"We need to get him somewhere safe, now." Halien said, helping Kili up. She hoisted his arms around Oin and Fili's shoulders, then led them through the streets towards the only place that she knew was safe and had someone who could help.

They ran to the Hall of the Master and Fili called out to the Master.

"Please, wait!" he asked. "Please. We need your help."

Halien looked to the Master. "Good Master of the Lake, we need your help."

"My brother is sick." Fili said, looking at him desperately.

"Sick?" the Master asked. "Is it infectious? Get back. Alfrid, Alfrid, don't let them get any closer!"

"How dare you, you pathetic little Men!" Halien said, gathering up her skirts and marching up the stairs to Alfrid, ignoring the guards. "That is my nephew! How dare you deny us aid when we have promised to deliver so much to this place to rebuild it anew and bring back the trades of old? How can you be so despicably heartless and cruel?"

"Please, we need medicine!" Oin asked.

"Do I look like an apothecary?" Alfrid said with a smirk. "Haven't we given you enough? The Master's a very busy man, he doesn't have time to be worried about sick Dwarves. Be off with you. Go on."

Halien became so infuriated that she began to spark with blue flames as she reached back and threw her fist straight into Alfrid's face, breaking his nose. "I will see to it that you and your idiotic Master will be removed from office and stripped of all your titles. You will regret ever crossing the Dwarves of Erebor and you will regret ever crossing me. As Queen of Erebor, I have the necessary power to do so and do not even think for a second that I won't."

With that, Halien Greenleaf left a bleeding Alfrid and the Master whimpering on the stair case as she turned around and marched off with the others following close behind her. "Come, I know of one place that we can go to get help."

A banging came at the door and Bard opened it to see Bofur, Oin, Fili, and Kili. "No, I have had my fair share of dwarves. Go away." He barked and tried to slam the door on them, but Bofur stopped him.

"Please, Kili's sick. He's very sick." Bofur told him. "No one else will help us."

Halien came up behind them and looked at Bard.

"Halien!" He said in surprise.

"Thorin asked me look after Kili, but Bard…" she said, looking from him to her nephew, then back to him. "He's been infected by a Morgul shaft."

Bard's eyes widened. "How can you be sure of that now?"

"The infection is spreading faster than it should if it was a normal wound caused by a normal arrow. I didn't recognize the shaft, for I have never seen one, but I have treated many of my kin before who had shown the very signs of Morgul poison." She explained, then pleaded with him, "Please, Bard. He needs a safe place to lie down so that I can try to treat him and I trust you. For some reason, I trust you completely. Please, the Master would not help us. He and the sniveling little weasel Alfrid infuriated me so much that I punched him. I think I broke his nose. No one else will help us. Please, Bard?"

Bard nodded, not giving it a second thought. He opened the door wide and ushered them all inside. Fili and Oin led Kili to the bed and laid him down. Bofur busied himself around, gathering hot water for Oin as he asked if there was any Kings Foil- Athelas in the Elven Tongue. Bard told them it was a weed and they fed it to the pigs. Bofur told Halien that he was going to find the pigs and try to get some Kings Foil to slow the poison.

While Bofur ran through the docks and streets, Halien asked Tilda and Sigrid for some water and a cloth. She climbed onto the bed next to Kili while Fili and Oin held him down by the arms and Bane held down his legs.

"Kili, you must be still!" Halien told him, sternly and knew that he was in a great deal of pain.

"I'm sorry…" Kili tried to say, looking at his aunt and seeing her concern. Tears were starting to brew in her eyes and he knew that it was bad.

"Hush, now, Kili. You have nothing to be sorry for. I will try to do what I can to stop the poison, but we can't do much without Athelas." She told him.

Kili nodded, then writhed in pain, crying out as the poison began to really take its toll.

Halien felt her heart aching for her nephew, uncertain if she could even save his life. She tried to think of what Lady Galadriel would have said to her in times like this, tried to find the courage to push through her fear and worry, and when she did, the young elven princess of Mirkwood and queen of Erebor breathed out slowly and focused all of her magik on healing Kili. She thought of drawing out the poison, of stopping the bleeding, anything that would spare his life.

Bard and his children stared in wonder as she began to glow with a soft white aura. Bard felt a sense of peace as he watched Halien close her eyes and her hands moving to hover over Kili's body. Halien started to utter an elvish incantation, one that she had barely mastered, and Kili's thrashing stopped, his cries momentarily silenced. Bard watched in amazement as the dwarf's breathing eased a bit and he looked over at the elf maiden, somehow managing a smile.

"Halien…" Kili started to say, reaching a hand towards her.

Halien sighed and slumped back, catching herself against the wall. "Kili…" she said, smiling wearily as she put a hand on his forehead. "I have stopped the flow of the poison, but it will take time to draw out the poison completely and energy that I do not have to spare. You should be fine, though, if not worse for wear."

Kili managed another smile as Halien kissed his burning forehead. "What would we do without you, Aunt?"

Halien smiled in return. "Well, things wouldn't be as easy nor fun without me around, that's for sure."

Kili tried to laugh at that, but winced in pain.

"You need to rest, Kili." Halien told him, trying to move off of the bed. "I've done what I can and used more energy than I had anticipated for. All we can do is wait for Bofur to return with Athelas and try to draw out the poison and treated the wound from there."

Bard came over and helped her stand as she got off the bed. She put a hand to her belly as her son kicked as if to protest for the strenuous activity.

"Are you alright?" Bard asked, holding her around the waist.

Halien put a hand on his chest and nodded. "Aye, the lad is just kicking. I don't think he liked me using so much energy to heal his cousin." She tried to laugh at that and took Bard's hand and placed it on her belly.

Bard smiled a bit when he felt the healthy kicking of the baby. He helped Halien over to a chair so that she could rest and set her down slowly. "Your son seems healthy enough."

Halien nodded. "Do you want to say hello?"

Bard looked at her as she took his hand and placed her forehead against his, closing her eyes. Off to the side, Fili, Oin, Sigrid, Tilda, and Bane watched as Halien whispered something and Bard snapped his head back in shock.

"Da?" Tilda asked.

Bard looked from his youngest daughter back to Halien. "I heard him… How…?"

"It's something I figured out how to do a couple months after I found out that I was to have a son. He has no clarity or flow to his thoughts, but he can think and he can speak to me and anyone else I wish to share his thoughts with. He is so curious." Halien explained. "My gift to read one's mind has allowed me to link with my son's mind and allow me to understand what he experiences as he grows within me. It allows me to explain things to him in ways one might not think possible and it allows for me to show him new and exciting things that he has to look forward to. When he is born, I can speak with him, mind to mind, without using words and be able to get to know him much more than without my gift. If he is lucky enough to inherit my abilities and skills, then I can teach him so much better than I could without my magik."

Bard looked at her. "But he will be half dwarf. Isn't there a chance that he can never wield magik?"

"Aye, that is true, but he will be half elf, as well. He will have an equal chance of wielding magik as he would to not wield it." Halien said with a smile.

"Did you really punch Alfrid in the nose?" Bard asked, then laughed when Halien nodded. "I would have love to have seen that. That rat bastard deserved it many times over."

Halien smiled and giggled with him, realizing how much Alfrid infuriated her and how gratifying it was to punch him.

Her smile soon faded when she and the others all heard a deep rumbling, a rumbling that come from the mountain. Halien's eyes widened. 'No…'

Bard stood, moving to the table, and watched the window as his children ran to look outside of it.

"Da, it came from the mountain!" Bane said.

Bard looked from his children to Halien as she stood. "Halien…"

"Thorin…" she muttered, her fear clear in her eyes and she came to stand next to Bard at the table.

Bard placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked at him. "It will be alright." He told her, trying to reassure her.

'Bard, if that was the dragon, we do not have much time.' Halien thought to him, lowering her shield.

'I know.' The bargeman replied.

Behind them, Kili was beginning to moan in pain again as the poison pushed its way through the defenses that Halien had put up. Fili left his brother's side and came over to Bard for a moment.

"You should leave us." He said. "Take your children and Halien and get out of here."

"Fili, no." Halien started to say.

"And go where?" Bard asked, looking at the dwarf. "There is nowhere to go."

Tilda came over to her father, fear and worry playing across her face. "Are we going to die, Da?" she asked.

Bard looked at her, at Sigrid and Bane, unsure of what to say or do. Halien shook her head. Looking up at Bard, she thought, 'You have to tell them something. They are your children. As their father, only you can truly comfort them.'

"No, darling." Bard said, coming to his daughter.

Tilda looked up at her father. "The dragon is going to kill us."

"Not if I kill it first." Bard said.

"If the dragon comes, I will protect us with my magik, Tilda." Halien said.

Tilda seemed somewhat reassured by that and ran to the elf maiden. Halien wrapped her arms around her and held onto her.

Bard felt scared, worried, and protective of his children. He did not know where the rest of the day would lead and how it will turn out, but he knew he had to protect them. He had to protect his village, his people, his family, Halien. He reached above the table and pulled down something metal and when Halien saw it, hope returned to her eyes and she smiled.

"The Black Arrow!" she said. "Bard, if you can get up to the Windlance, then you can take down the dragon."

Bard nodded. "That dragon will not come near my family, nor you, Halien."

Halien looked at his children. "It is going to be alright. Your father has the Black Arrow, the last of its kind, but it will be enough to take down the dragon. I promise we will make it through to see another day."

Bard pulled her into his arms. "Halien, look after the children for me. I need to get to the windlance."

Halien wrapped her arms around him and breathed in his scent. It still surprised her how comforting the scent of sandalwood and spices was to her. "Of course I will. They will be safe with me."

Bard pulled away and grabbed his coat and the Black Arrow. He looked at her and nodded, sending her a silent thought that made her smile, and he left the house. Bane ran after him and Halien went to stand with the girls at the window, looking out at the Lonely Mountain.

"Thorin, be careful, my love."

It seemed to Halien and the others like hours had passed before Bane came back, out of breath as he slammed the door shut.

"Bane, what is it?" Halien asked.

"They're after Da!" he managed to say.

"Why? Da has never done anything wrong!" Tilda said.

"It is alright, child. Your father will be fine. Let us hope that he got away and will come back soon." Halien said, trying to comfort the poor girl.

Tilda nodded and tried to busy herself with helping Oin look after Kili. Halien felt guilty that she could not have done more on her own for him. She looked up and watched as Sigrid went outside onto the porch. Suddenly, there were footsteps on the roof and Halien looked up just as Sigrid screamed from outside before she ran inside and tried to pull the door shut.

Bane ran to protect Tilda as the Orc who had jumped down behind Sigrid tried to push his way inside the house. Sigrid scrambled back as the Orc burst through the door. Oin grabbed some dishes and threw them at the Orc while another Orc jumped down through the ceiling. Sigrid hid under the table and pulled the benches to block the Orcs from reaching them and pulled Tilda in underneath with her as Bane ushered her to their sister's side and grabbed for something to defend himself with against the Orcs. As Bane and the dwarves were trying to defend themselves, Halien drew her dagger and attacked the Orcs as they came at her. She threw bits of magik at them, stunning them before she attacked. The Orcs threw the table over and tried to reach for Sigrid and Tilda, but Bane threw one of the benches at them and Halien threw an ice shard she had formed at the Orcs, splintering it into separate pieces that killed the Orcs.

More and more Orcs came in through the doors, the windows, the ceiling, and Halien was not certain if they would make it out alive, but she had promised to protect Bard's children and to protect herself and her child. When she thought they were going to be overwhelmed by the Orcs, Tauriel appeared in the doorway.

"Tauriel!" Halien called to her former mentor.

Tauriel smiled in greeting, then made quick work of the Orcs in her path as she fought her way into the house. Legolas soon joined them and looked around.

"Sister!" he called to Halien as an Orc came up behind her. He drew his bow, ready to fire, but he watched as Halien summoned the blue flames she had used against the goblins into her hand and turned the Orc into a pile of ash.

Halien fought with her brother and Tauriel, trying to drive back the Orcs. Kili leaped out of bed and threw a knife at one of the Orcs as Tauriel did the same and fell to the floor when the Orc collapsed.

"Kili!" Halien cried, watching the fear play across Tauriel's face.

Tauriel looked up at her for a moment, but then the two elf maidens watched as an Orc ran outside and called to his comrades. Halien heard them say "Oakenshield" and knew that they were hunting Thorin still. They would not find him in Laketown and for that she was thankful.

"You killed them all." Bane said in disbelief.

"There are others. Tauriel, come." Legolas said.

Kili was on the floor, his pain returning. Oin and Fili knelt next to him. "We are losing him!" Oin said.

Tauriel looked from Kili to Halien to Legolas.

"Tauriel." Legolas said, then left the house of Girion's descendants.

Tauriel made a move for the door, but when Kili cried out, she stopped and looked back at him.

"Tauriel, I have done all I can for him." Halien said. "I have used the extent of my knowledge of healing, as has Oin. Please, save him! I will go after my brother and keep him safe from the Orcs."

"But, Halien! You are with child!" Tauriel said, seeing her belly.

"I am, but my brother cannot fight on his own. I know that you care for Kili, even if it is only a slight emotion for him, and he needs you. You have lived more than six hundred years whilst I have seen only two hundred and sixteen. You know more than I will ever be able to learn about healing right now. Please, save him!"

Tauriel watched as Halien ran out of the house and after her brother. She called out to her, trying to stop her, but she was gone before she could do anything more. Tauriel turned back to Kili and the others and began to help them.

While Tauriel was helping her nephew, Halien ran to catch up with her brother. She found him fighting off the remaining Orcs and hurried to join him in the fight. She summoned her water magik and ice magik and threw the water at the Orcs, then froze them and crushed them into dust. She summoned her fire magik and burned the Orcs who were fool enough to try and grab her. She fought her way through the throng of Orcs until she was fighting with her back against her brother's.

"Are you mad, Halien?!" Legolas said, scolding her.

"No more than you brother." She replied with a smile.

They fought the Orcs side by side like they had years and years before her exile. They made their way towards the bridge and were stopped by the leader of the Orcs. Legolas drew Orcrist and handed Halien Fenumë Dagnir. "I brought this for you, just in case I saw you again. Try not to lose it this time?" he told her, a sly smile on his face.

Halien took up her mother's sword and fought off some of the Orcs that had stayed with their leader, Bolg- son of Azog the Defiler. Legolas faced off against Bolg while Halien used her mother's sword to slice down the Orcs that got in her way or tried to get to her brother. She managed to kill all but two and watched in horror as Bolg nearly got the better of him. In relief, she watched as Legolas killed the last two remaining Orcs.

She ran to him when he slumped against the wall behind him and touched his nose, seeing the blood that had been drawn when Bolg punched him. "Are you alright, brother?"

Legolas nodded. "That filth will pay dearly." He said, then looked at her and his eyes softened for a moment. "Halien, why did you not tell me that you were with child?"

Halien looked away. "I knew that you and Father would be ashamed of me for falling in love with Thorin and would not look twice at me if you knew that I carried his child." She said, then looked at her brother with tears in her eyes. "Whatever has happened within our family, my dearest brother, I love you. You are to be an uncle soon and if you are willing to look passed what has happened, I would be honored and proud to have you in my son's life. If Father wishes to be a part of his grandson's life as well, whether or not Thorin Oakenshield is his father, then I would welcome him as well."

Legolas searched her eyes. "You really do love the dwarf, don't you, Sister?"

Halien nodded and hugged her brother. "With all my heart. I am his wife and will mother his children and we will rebuild Erebor and Dale once more to their former glory. You must go now, though. I know that the Orc scum has much to pay for, especially when none has ever drawn blood during a battle with you and lived to tell the tale."

Legolas kissed her forehead and ran off after the Orc, grabbing a horse from one of the stables and riding hard after Bolg and his warg.

Satisfied that her brother would be fine, Halien hurried back to Bard's house to make sure that everyone was OK. Tauriel had healed Kili, drawn out the poison, and smiled at Halien when she returned. "He will be alright, Halien. You did excellent work yourself. You nearly drew out the poison on its own without the Athelas. I did not need to do much."

Halien hugged her old mentor. "Thank you, Tauriel. You saved his life. You saved our lives."

Tauriel smiled as she watched Halien stroked Kili's head, checking his fever and making sure that he was OK.

"Kili, how are you doing?" Halien asked softly.

Kili looked over and reached up to touch her cheek. "I am fine, Aunt. Do not worry about me. You should not have run off like that and fought with our cousin. You could have been hurt."

Halien smiled and kissed his forehead. "Do not worry about me, my little nephew. Your cousin and I are both well."

Kili was reassured by that, but then he saw his aunt's face when another rumble came from the mountain. "Halien?"

Halien heard Thorin calling to her.

'Halien, the dragon comes! You must get out of there! Take the others and evacuate the city! Get out there!' He called, warning her of what was to come.

She felt her eyes widen and her heart began to race. "No…."

Another roar, one that sounded like a hurricane wind from the sea, came and Halien stood slowly, looking out the window at the Lonely Mountain. "By the ancestors…" she said and felt a fear like no other overtake her. "The dragon comes."

Everyone looked at her. "So they weren't able to stop it after all…" Oin said.

Tilda clung to Halien's gown and held her hand. "Are we going to die, Halien?"

"No, sweet girl." Halien said, looking at her. "We will be safe, I promise. No matter what happens, I promised your father that you, Sigrid, and Bane would all be safe with me and I will protect you."

Tilda nodded and hugged her. Sigrid came to her side as well as Bane and they clustered around her. She was not their mother, but they felt comforted by her presence and knew that she would protect them.

"What about the babe?" Tilda asked, resting a small hand on Halien's belly.

"He will be alright. It seems that he has been lending me some of his own strength, even as just a babe unborn. I should not be able to stay standing and not feel faint. My son is stronger than I had anticipated." The elf queen replied.

There was a glow outside and Halien's eyes widened. "Oh no, the dragon is here! Quick, everyone below, now!"

They grabbed nothing as they hurried down to the small boat that sat docked at their house. They quickly climbed into, but Halien was beginning to feel a pain in her belly and she felt a wetness run down her legs. She put a hand to her belly and groaned.

Tauriel came to her side instantly and steadied her. "Halien, you have pushed yourself too much. The babe will not wait. He is coming now."

"No… It's not time…" Halien said. "He still has four months left before he's supposed to be born…"

Tauriel helped her into the boat. "He does not wish to wait it seems. We must get you somewhere safe quickly. When we reach safety, I will help you deliver the baby."

Halien nodded and she sat in the boat, wincing as the contractions began. Kili and Fili held the oars and rowed the boat as Tauriel stood at the front to guide it. Oin sat with Halien and held her hand as Bane sat with his sisters in the middle of the boat. As they slowly and quietly maneuvered through the canals, Smaug spit fire everywhere in his path as he flew over Laketown.


	9. Chapter 9

'Bard! Where are you?' Halien called.

Bard, who had been captured by the guards, was trying to get out of the jail cell any way that he could. He looked up when he heard Halien calling to him. 'Halien! You're alright! Are the children with you?'

'Yes, Bard, the children are here next to me. They are frightened, but safe. Where are you?'

'Braga and his men captured me.' Bard thought to her. 'I'm trying to get out. I see the Master's boat, so I will try to find a rope or something and hook it onto the boat. I will get out of here and find you!'

'Bard, just get out of there. You need to fire the Black Arrow at the dragon and bring him down!'

'I gave the Black Arrow to Bane before they captured me.' Bard thought to her. 'He knows where it is at.'

"Bane, where did you put the Black Arrow?" Halien asked, looking at him.

"I hid it in a boat near the statue of the Master." Bane explained.

Suddenly, the Master's boat crashed into them, nearly knocking them over as they passed them with the gold from the treasury. Halien looked up and saw where Bard was- up ahead- and watched as he threw down a makeshift rope. It caught around the Master's neck and chest and he was slammed back into the back of the boat as it continued forward. The boat pulled the bars from the window and Bard smirked.

Halien threw up a shield of water magik as the dragon flew above them, then spread out the shield and tried to extinguish some of the fires. She looked up and saw that Bard had climbed up to where the bell was and was firing his arrows at the dragon each time it passed by.

Bane suddenly jumped out of the boat and ran to where the Black Arrow was hidden. Tilda and Sigrid called him back, but he ran off in the direction of Bard.

"We cannot turn back now." Tauriel said.

'Bane, you run to your father and you do not look back.' Halien called to him. 'You run hard and you get that Black Arrow to him. This is our only hope against the dragon now.'

Bane had never heard Halien speak to him with her mind before, but he was not swayed. 'I will, Halien. I promise.'

Halien smiled and looked at the girls. "Bane will be fine. He is taking the Black Arrow to your father. The dragon will be dead soon enough."

Sigrid and Tilda nodded and they continued to work their way through the canals until they reached the edge of the town. They paddled faster and faster, getting further and further from Laketown, but closer and closer to the shores. They arrived at the shore and quickly got out of the boat. They found a spot of grass and moss and helped Halien down to it. More and more people were reaching the shores and some of the women who had joined them quickly ran over to help Halien and the others. They set up a makeshift tent, that way she had some privacy to deliver the baby, and they followed Tauriel's instructions as she began to help Halien. They got her a blanket so that she had something warm to cover her and she cried out in pain as the contractions quickened and came more frequently.

Back in Laketown, Bane had reached his father and delivered the Black Arrow to him. Bard protected Bane when the dragon tried to knock them off the bell tower, but only took out the bell. Bane had nearly fallen to his death, but Bard pulled him up and lodged the broken bow into the tower supports. He set the Black Arrow on Bane's shoulder and aimed at the dragon. Pulling back on the bow string, with the Black Arrow notched, Bard waited until he saw an opening. He smiled in relief when he saw the spot that many said was not there, the place where Girion's last arrow found its mark and loosened a scale under the left wing. Bard smirked at the dragon and waited until Smaug got closer to them as he climbed over the burning buildings, then fired the last of the Black Arrows into the heart of the dragon.

Bard watched as Smaug tried to take flight, clawing at the air as he tried to get away, but he saw steam coming from the dragon's heart and he smiled in relief. Halien's water magik was extinguishing the dragon's fire and the Black Arrow had pierced his heart. Bard grabbed Bane, though, when he saw the dragon falling back down from the sky and he landed on the city, crushing the middle of Laketown.

Back on the shore, Halien, her nephews, Oin, Bofur, Tauriel, and Bard's daughters watched as the dragon fell from the sky, crushing the city. Many cheered as the dragon fell, but then cried for fear that any who were still in Laketown may have perished under the dragon's weight.

Halien tried to call out to him, but she didn't have enough strength to call to him and give birth to her son. She cried out in pain as Tauriel told her to push. She pushed and pushed, crying out in pain as it felt like her body was going to tear apart. Oin held her hand and Fili sat behind her, holding her head in his lap while Kili held her other hand. They tried to keep her calm, but she was in a lot of pain and shut everyone out. Fili gently wiped with sweat from her brow with a cool wet towel and stroked her hair.

"One more push, Halien!" Tauriel told her.

Halien gave one more push and nearly passed out from the pain. She closed her eyes for a moment, but opened them when she heard crying. Tauriel handed her a bundle and Halien took her son into her arms and smiled, tears of joy spilling from her eyes. "My boy…"

Fili, Kili, and Oin leaned in a bit to look at the lad and smiled.

"He's beautiful…" Fili said, looking over Halien's shoulder.

"He's so little…" Kili noted.

"He looks healthy enough for being four months early." Oin said. "Perhaps it is your healing magik, Halien, which has made the wee lad still strong enough after being born so early."

Halien smiled.

"What are you going to name him?" Kili asked.

Halien thought a moment, then remembered she had once met a great dwarf, the younger brother to her husband. "Frerin."

Kili looked at his brother. "After Uncle Frerin? Our mother and Thorin's brother?"

Halien nodded. "I met Frerin once before he perished in battle. He was a great man and he really looked up to Thorin. It's been a long time since then, but I thought it is fitting for a young prince."

The brothers smiled. "It's perfect." Kili said, then looked up at Tauriel.

The elf smiled softly at him and stood.

"Tauriel, wait." Halien said, looking up at her. "Thank you. For everything. You did not have to come after us. You did not have to help us. But, thank you."

Tauriel smiled. "I am sorry, Halien, for what has happened. I should not have let your father exile you when you came back home. I should have convince him to let you stay, but I did not think to disobey your father. It has only been recently that I have begun to doubt your father's judgment and I could not just stand by and let the darkness overcome the lands. I want to help stop it. I am just as much a part of this world as you or anyone else is."

Halien smiled. "I know, mellon. All is forgiven. Thank you for everything you have ever taught me, ever done for me."

Tauriel bowed to her, even though she was no longer considered a princess of the Woodland Realm. She was still a wonderful person and had done so much with her life to make the world a better place. She excused herself to go and find some supplies for them, so that they could take them to the mountain when they return to the dwarf king's side.

Halien sat there for a while, regaining her strength and holding her son. Fili and Kili went to go and help some of the others coming to the shore form Laketown while Oin and Bofur sat with her to keep her company and keep an eye on her and the baby. Sigrid and Tilda sat with her and watched as the baby opened his eyes and looked around.

After some time, Halien had fed Frerin and he slept soundly in her arms. Bard had made it to the shore and was looking for her and his daughters.

"Halien! Sigrid! Tilda!" he called.

The girls heard their father calling and ran to meet him. Bofur held Frerin as Halien stood and she watched as the girls led their father to her. She smiled when she saw him and hugged him as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

'Thank the ancestors you're alive!' Bard thought to her.

'It's good to see you come back to us in one piece.' Halien replied.

They stood there for a moment, embracing each other, but then Bard pulled away when he heard the whimpering of an infant. He looked over as Bofur brought Frerin over to Halien.

"The wee lad wants his mother." He said as Halien took her son from him.

"You had the babe?" Bard asked. "You should not have been due for another few months at least!"

Halien nodded as she made certain that her son was completely covered, save his face. "He decided to come early. I went into labor right as we left your house to get into the boat. Really poor timing on his part, but he felt as if he was ready."

Bard looked at the babe and smiled. It had been years since he had seen an infant. Halien looked at him as Frerin reached out to him. Bard let the lad take his finger and they watched as he fell asleep again. Halien smiled and kissed her son's forehead. Bard looked at her and he saw how weary she was, but she was still beautiful and looked healthy as the babe.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. It was a shock that Frerin wished to come early. He was not due for another four months. Oin and Tauriel both say that he is healthy, though, and that's what matters." Halien replied, then looked at the bowman. "Tauriel went to find us enough supplies to reach the mountain. We need to rejoin Thorin and the others. We will be leaving soon."

Bard looked at her. "Must you go now? You should rest a bit more."

Halien put a hand on his cheek and smiled. "I need to be with my husband. He needs to meet his son. I will be fine, I promise. I will take it easy once I reach the mountain."

Bard was about to say something, to protest, but one of his fellow Lakemen called him over. He looked from them to Halien and back, then sighed. "Just be careful?"

Halien nodded and hugged him. "I will. Bard, if there is nowhere else for you to seek shelter, head to Dale. Make sure the wounded are cared for as best as possible before you make the trek to the city. Just, be warned, it may not be what you expect to see and many will remember that day. Just be careful." She told him, then kissed his cheek. "Now go, Bard the Dragonslayer, your people need you."

Bard nodded and went to help out. Tauriel returned shortly, with just enough supplies to get them up to the mountain. She helped them ready a boat and spoke with Kili as he asked her to come and join them. Legolas appeared behind them and asked Tauriel to take leave of the dwarf.

Halien watched as Kili handed Tauriel the token his mother, Dis, had given him before the quest. He went to finish readying the boat and Halien walked past her brother to join them, but Legolas grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Halien, wait." He said, then saw the baby in her arms. "You had the child?"

Halien smiled. "Aye, brother. He came early, but yes. This is your nephew, Frerin."

Legolas looked at the baby and smiled, looking at the dark haired little nephew. His smile widened when he saw that he had pointed ears, just like his mother. "He is so small." Legolas commented.

Halien laughed. "He was four months early, Legolas. But he is healthy and that is what matters."

Legolas looked at his sister. "Halien, why did you choose a dwarf? Why would you marry him and have his child?"

"Ever since Father made me the ambassador between the Men of Dale, the dwarves of Erebor, and our Woodland Realm, I have grown accustomed to being away from home. I spent much time with Thorin and his family. I knew his mother, his father, his brother, his sister. I knew his grandfather the king. I even met his cousin, Dain, once. The dwarves of Erebor fascinated me and I was treated with respect and loved by the people." Halien explained. "Back in the Greenwood, everyone scorned me. I could not ride an elk, I could not play with the other children. I was looked at as an outcast because of my magik. It made me different, unworthy of the attention of my kin. But in Dale and Erebor, it was different. Perhaps it is because Thorin has been there for me more than my own people ever had been, but whatever the reason, I love Thorin Oakenshield with all my heart and I made the choice to spend my life with him."

Legolas smiled and embraced his sister. "You have changed, Halien. You have changed so much, for the better I think, in the years you have been away. But even still, you are and always will be my little sister. I still do not like dwarves, but I do not hate them. I have you to thank for that. You have shown me a different side to them."

Halien sighed and smiled at her brother. "When this is over, you must visit sometime. Come see the mountain once we rebuild. Come see Dale once we rebuild. Perhaps you can see what I saw in the days of old and understand better. But you and Tauriel have business, so I will take my leave. Be careful, brother, wherever you are going."

Legolas nodded and helped Halien into the boat. "Be careful, sister. You know there is a sickness that lies upon that treasure. I know you have faith in your husband, but do not be surprised if it has overtaken him."

Halien nodded and they shoved off from the shore to head to the western side of the lake. Halien sat with her son and watched as Legolas and Tauriel turned away. 'I love you, Legolas. Never forget that.' She called to her brother.

Legolas turned to look towards her for a moment. 'I love you too, little sister. Take care of your family. I will see you soon enough.'

As they made their way across the lake, Halien heard Bard calling for her. 'We're almost to the western shore. We'll be fine, Bard.'

'Be careful, Halien. I will see you again soon.'

Halien smiled and looked towards the mountain. "We're almost home, Frerin." She said to her son. "Soon you will meet your father and everyone else."

It did not take long to reach the shore and not much longer to make the trek passed Dale and to the front gate of Erebor. Halien felt tears in her eyes as she looked upon the ruin of the gate and even still within the halls. She looked around as Bofur called out to everyone, trying to get an answer. They began to search the halls until they found Bilbo.

"No, no, don't go down there." Bilbo said. "Thorin has been down there for days."

"What do you mean?" Halien asked. "What's wrong with him?"

Fili noticed a glow of golden light and hurried to find the source. Halien and the other quickly followed behind him until they reached a walkway that overlooked the sea of gold. They watched as Thorin came out and began welcoming them.

"Thorin?" Halien said, calling to her husband.

"Halien, you made it home." Thorin said. "Look, my love. This is what we fought to reclaim."

"No, Thorin, we fought to reclaim Erebor, not the gold." Halien said. "But that does not matter now. Do you wish to meet your son?"

Thorin looked up at her at that. "My son?"

Halien smiled and nodded. "Aye, little king. Your son was impatient and came early." She said and slid down onto the gold coins. She carefully walked over to Thorin.

Thorin looked at his son as he lay in his mother's arms. He looked up and seemed to smile when he saw Thorin. "This is my son?" he asked, almost in disbelief.

"Aye, love. This is Frerin." Halien said.

"Frerin… Named after my brother?" he asked, looking at her.

Halien nodded. "Aye, I met Frerin only once, but he was a great man and looked up to you. I know he meant a lot to you and I thought it'd be fitting to give our son his name. This is Frerin II, son of Thorin Oakenshield, heir to the line of Durin."

Thorin asked if he could hold him and Halien let her husband take their son into his arms. Thorin seemed to be returning to normal, though Halien hoped it was only weariness from fighting the dragon that was making his act as such. Thorin held his son for a few minutes, then Frerin began to whimper. Halien took him from Thorin and smiled.

"Sounds like he is hungry. We will find the others." She said, looking down at Thorin. "Come join us later, little king. We need to celebrate, still, remember?"

Thorin suddenly became very distant and ignored what she said. Halien watched as he turned back towards the gold and murmured to himself.

Halien sighed and went with Bilbo to find the others. When they reached the others, Halien stood there with Frerin in her arms. She used the cloak Tauriel gave to her to cover as she breast fed her son. She looked around at her companions, her kin, and she smiled in relief.

"I am glad to see you all safe." She said.

"It is good to see you again, Halien." Balin said. "You had the babe early?"

Halien nodded. "With all the excitement, Frerin didn't wish to wait."

The others who had not yet heard her son's name smiled. They knew he was named for Thorin's brother. They knew Frerin I to be a good man and it was a great loss to all when he died. They began catch up, share their sides of what happened. As they did, Balin waited until the babe had finished feeding, then pulled Halien aside.

"Lass, there is something you need to know." He began.

"It's Thorin, isn't it?" she asked, looking at him sadly.

Balin nodded. "I fear it's the beginnings of dragon sickness. For sixty years that dragon slumbered, hoarding that treasure. There is no way that the gold in those halls did not absorb the greed and madness that comes with it. Thror had it too, but I had hoped that Thorin would not succumb to it. I fear he may already have."

Halien felt tears welling in her eyes. "Balin, is there no way to stop it? No way to keep him from suffering Thror's fate?"

Balin shook his head. "No, lass, I fear there is not."

Someone called out that the Lakemen were flooding into Dale and Dwalin went to seek out Thorin. When Thorin and Halien, alongside their kin, stood in the doorway looking out at Dale, they watched as all the survivors marched into the ruined city, seeking any shelter they could.

Thorin ordered the front gate sealed by first light the next morning and began to walk away. Halien, dumbfounded, turned to her husband.

"Thorin, are you really turning away from the people of Laketown? Are you really not going to help them?"  
Thorin glanced back at her as he came to a halt. "It is none of my concern. It is none of your concern, either."

Halien glared at him. "Thorin Oakenshield, you and I made a promise. A promise to the Men of the Lake that we would help them rebuild. You tried to slay the dragon here in these halls, but failed to. The dragon then in turn came and destroyed Laketown, destroyed their homes. I tried to protect them and only Bard was able to fire a Black Arrow -the last of its kind- and bring the beast down. It was because we failed in our quest that those people now suffer. Bard warned us of this and like fools we did not listen."

"You speak very highly of the Bowman, for someone you've known only a day." Thorin noted, turning to look at her.

Halien looked at him and saw something unrecognizable in his eyes. She gave Frerin to Bilbo for a moment, then went to stand face to face with her husband. "Thorin, of course I do. Bard has helped us more than anyone else. He gave us food, shelter, warm clothes. He helped keep you and the others hidden from the guards. He protected us and risked everything for us. How can we turn away now when we can help him and his people just as he helped us?"

Thorin smirked. "You speak as if you love him, Halien, daughter of Thranduil. Are you to betray me as your father before you did? Will you leave me to be with that failure of a Man?"

Halien was taken aback, unsure what to say or do. Thorin had not spoken to her like this since they first began their journey and now he seemed to be doubting her feelings for him.

Behind her, the dwarves could not believe their ears. For as long as they had known Halien, she had never once shown another the kind of affection she gives Thorin and never once has she ever strayed from his side. They were meant for each other and there must have been something wrong with Thorin for him to suggest otherwise.

"Now see here, Thorin…" Bofur began.

"This is none of your concern!" Thorin snapped.

"You are wrong, Uncle." Kili retorted. "Halien is our aunt now. She is our queen. We would follow her as much as we would follow you. How can you be so blind and not see that she only has your best interest and the interest of the people of the Lake in mind?"

Halien stepped back from her husband. "Thorin, answer me this: do you love me? Or do you love that gold more than your own family?"

Thorin would not look at her and turned away.

"Very well, then, sire." Halien said, taking her son from Bilbo. "I see that I nor your son are wanted here. I am taking Frerin and we are going somewhere we can help. I will not risk my son's safety for your whims. When you have come to your senses, I will be in Dale."

"You go to that Bowman, you will never be welcomed back in Erebor." Thorin said, still refusing to look at her.

Halien felt the tears brewing in her eyes. "You would turn me aside now? Turn your son aside now? After everything that we have been through?" She waited for Thorin to answer, but when none came, she began to walk away from the company, her son tightly held in her arms.

"Halien, wait! You cannot go!" Kili tried to say.

"Lass, if you leave, we may lose Thorin forever." Dwalin said.

Halien looked at him and tried to smile. "It is his choice. If he wishes to send us away, then I will oblige him." Hearing the dwarves clear concern for her in their minds, Halien felt the tears slip from her eyes. "I will be fine. I will make certain that at least one of us keeps our promise." She looked at Thorin. "Thorin, whatever you may think, you must never forget that I have and always will love you. Nothing will ever change that."

Halien turned away from her husband and king and the dwarves watched as she walked away, headed towards Dale. Bilbo looked in her direction as she silently told him that she knew he had the Arkenstone, but asked him to keep it from her husband. She knew it would not help Thorin's condition in any way. Bilbo promised to keep it a secret and turned to look at Thorin. The dwarf king did not seem troubled by his wife and queen, his son, leaving. He was clearly not himself.


	10. Chapter 10

As Bard walked through the ruined streets of Dale, making certain that everyone was being taken care of, he heard talk of an elf maiden with hair like the stars and eyes of emerald helping the wounded. He ran to see if he was correct and stared at Halien as she stood from a man she had just healed. She hadn't noticed him, but Frerin was starting to fuss and she took him from a woman who had been holding him. Bard watched as Halien took her son off to the side, into an empty room. He hurried to find her and when he did, his heart sank.

Halien stood in the middle of the room, singing a soft lullaby to her son. She rocked him gently in her arms and felt the tears spilling from her eyes as she looked at her son. He looked just like his father and that made her heart ache even more.

"Halien?" Bard asked, coming into the room.

She looked up and saw him standing in the doorway. "Hello, Bard…" she said, trying to hide her tears.

Bard saw them anyway and came to her side. "Halien, what's wrong? Why are you here?"

Halien looked down at her son, who had now fallen asleep, and then at Bard. "He turned us away…"

Bard looked at her. "Who? Thorin?"

Halien nodded. She couldn't bear to rely it vocally to him, so she put her hand on the side of his neck and placed her forehead against his and closed her eyes. She lowered her shield and let her memory of what happened in Erebor after they returned be seen by Bard.

Bard closed his eyes when the memory started to flow into his mind. He saw how Thorin looked when Halien first gazed upon him standing in a sea of gold. He saw how he looked tenderly and lovingly at his son, then his mood change. He watched as she spoke with Balin, heard him speak of dragon sickness, and felt Halien's worry and pain as she began to realize she might lose her husband to the same fate as his grandfather. He saw how Thorin reacted to seeing the Men of the Lake flooding into Dale, how he reacted to Halien questioning him and begging him to hold up his end of the bargain. He watched and listened as Thorin accused her of betrayal, accused her of no longer loving him. He heard Halien's faith in him, in his people, and saw her fighting to bring the man she knew back from the darkness that clouded his mind. He watched as she asked him if he loved her or the gold more and Thorin not give an answer. He watched as Halien took her son into her arms and began to leave, heard Thorin tell her if she went to the Bowman- to him- that she would no longer be welcome in Erebor.

Halien felt overwhelmed by the memory and she pulled away. She looked away from Bard as he stumbled back, having never experienced a memory share before. He looked at her, but his cheek felt wet and he knew it was because she was crying.

"Halien…"

"Bard, he would not tell me if he loved me. He would not even look at me." Halien said, looking at him. "He turned me away… I love him and he knows that, but yet he turned me away…"

Bard went to her and pulled her into his arms. She cried against his chest and held Frerin to her, careful not to hurt him. He slept through it all, through the conversation, through the crying, through everything. Bard held Halien for a long time as she cried silently into his chest. He stroked her hair and tried to calm her, having truly felt what she was going through all because of the memory share.

"What am I to do, Bard…?" Halien asked when she felt as if her tears were spent. "He turned me and our son away, would not even look me in the eye. He won't honor his promise, his word, and I feel like I am losing him. He is stronger than this, I am sure of it…"

Bard lifted her chin to where she could look at him. "You remain strong. Strong for your son, strong for yourself, strong for your companions, your husband. You are their queen, their ally. They look to you for guidance and strength as much as they do Thorin. I felt that much when you shared your memory. You trust that he can overcome this and when he does, he will be the man you fell in love with, the man you know."

Halien looked at him. "But what if I lose him? I cannot do this on my own; I cannot raise our son alone."

Bard kissed her forehead. "Halien, you are strong and you will never be alone. You are welcome to stay here in Dale with us- with me- and help us rebuild. If Thorin will not take you back, then you can make a home for yourself and for your son here."

Halien touched his cheek. "You would let me stay? Even though it is our fault that this all happened?"

Bard smiled. "Of course. You are not to blame for our misfortunes and I could not begin to tell you how grateful I am to you for keeping my children safe. You are welcome here in Dale any time that you wish."

"Thank you, Bard." Halien said, then looked down at her son. "Oh, my dear sweet boy, what are we to do?" she whispered to him as she kissed his forehead.

"He looks healthy." Bard noted as he looked at the babe. "He definitely looks like his father."

"Aye, but he has my eyes." Halien said with a smile.

"He has your ears, too." Bard said with a chuckle, then looked at Halien. "He will be fine, Halien. You are going to be a wonderful mother and he will grow to be a fine man, just like his father."

"I hope so." Halien said, looking at him.

One of the Men from Laketown came into the room and asked for Bard. "The food we managed to salvage is scarce and we need to find some soon. We won't last here long."

Bard nodded. "Make sure the women, children, and the wounded are taken care of first."

The Man nodded and left, leaving Bard alone with Halien again.

Bard sighed and looked at Halien. "He is right. We cannot last long here with as little food as we were able to save. The fire and the destruction of the city would have scared what fish there were we could have caught and there has been no game in these lands since the days of old."

"We will manage. I have a feeling something will happen very soon to change our fortunes." Halien said, coming to his side. "Trust me, Bard. We will be fine."

And somehow, Bard the Bowman, descendant of Girion, Lord of Dale, did trust her. Somehow he knew that she was right, but he feared for the safety of his people. He took her hand and led her to where his children were.

"Miss, you're alright!" Tilda said, running to Halien.

"Aye, Tilda, I am just fine. Are you, your brother and sister alright?"

Tilda nodded and Halien smiled when Sigrid and Bane came up to them. Sigrid and Bane hugged her, glad to see her in one piece.

"We were so worried, Halien." Sigrid said. "Is Frerin alright?"

Halien smiled down at her son and nodded. "Aye, he is fine now."

"He's so beautiful." she noted as she looked down at the babe.

"He's so little." Bane pointed out.

"All babes are, Bane." Bard said, smiling softly at his son. "You were that little once."

"Well, I like him. I think he's cute." Tilda said.

Halien smiled. "Would you like to hold him?"

Tilda looked from her father to Halien. "Is it OK?"

Halien nodded. "Aye, dear girl. He won't mind, I promise." She said, then handed Frerin over to Tilda and showed her how to hold him.

Frerin woke up just as Tilda took him into her arms and looked up at her with incredibly green eyes- just like his mother's. He reached up and touched a small curl that fell from Tilda's ear and he smiled.

Tilda giggled and smiled down at him.

"He likes you, Tilda." Halien said, rubbing her son's cheek. "He thinks you're his sister."

"How do you know that?" Bane asked.

Halien looked at him. "Frerin has inherited my ability to speak to others with his mind. He talks to me and tells me what he sees, asks me questions. He thinks you and your sisters are his siblings."

"I have a little brother?" Tilda asked, looking at Halien.

"If you wish to treat him as a brother, then yes. He will grow up around you, that I am certain of. He is bound to think of you as family anyways." Halien said, nodded. "I think he'd be grateful for that."

Tilda smiled and looked down at Frerin. "Hi, Frerin. I'm your big sister, Tilda."

Halien watched as Frerin touched Tilda's cheek as the girl leaned down to kiss his forehead. She smiled when she heard him tell Tilda that it was nice to meet her and he was glad she was his big sister.

Tilda was taken aback for a brief moment, then looked at Halien in surprise. "He talked! In my head!"

Halien laughed. "Aye, he tends to do that a lot."

"I want to hear him!" Bane said, eagerly.

"Be sure not to crowd him, alright?" Bard said.

Bane nodded and asked if he could hold Frerin next. Tilda nodded and with Halien's help, she handed the babe to Bane. Bane said hello and let Frerin take his finger.

"Hello, Frerin, I'm Bane, your big brother." Bane said, introducing himself to the babe.

Halien laughed at Bane's expression when Frerin replied to him in the same way he had with Tilda. Her smile faded a bit when someone came to get her to heal some more people.

"Sigrid, can I trust you to bring Frerin to me if he starts to fuss and gets hungry?" Halien asked, looking at the girl. "He'll probably tell you."

Sigrid nodded. "Aye, miss. We'll look after him while you tend to the wounded."

Halien thanked her and hugged her before she kissed her son's forehead. "Frerin, I need to go help a few more people. Your brother and sisters are going to look after you while I'm away. Be good for them."

Frerin cooed and touched his mother's cheek, promising her he would be good. Halien left with Bard to go attend to the wounded, leaving her son with the Bowman's children.

"The children love your son, Halien." Bard noted as the went back to their makeshift infirmary.

"I'm glad they do so well with him. Frerin needs to grow up with people he can depend on. If he cannot have that in Erebor, I'm glad that you and your family have given him the chance to experience that." Halien said, smiling at him.

Bard stopped her for a second. "Halien, I meant what I said earlier. You are welcome to make a home here in Dale. Once we rebuild, I want you and Frerin to come and stay with us in the Keep."

"In the Keep?" Halien asked, then looked at him puzzled. "Does this mean that you are going to accept your lineage and take your role as King of Dale?"

Bard rubbed his neck. "I do not know, Halien. The Master of the Lake is dead and everyone looks to me for guidance."

Halien smiled. "Bard, you're Girion's descendant. You have taken care of the people of Laketown for years. You looked out for them, stood up to the Master for them. You already are their leader. Perhaps it is time you take your place as their king. Bring honor back to your ancestors, let these people see that you are strong and will look after them no matter what. If they ask you to be their king, you need to consider it."

Bard sighed. "Alfrid already has spread the word that I should be king, and many people have already asked me to lead them."

"Then become their king, Bard. Become the leader you were always meant to be. Rebuild Dale and its people and they will never turn you aside." Halien said. "The people here love you, Bard. They'll accept you as there king either way. You defeated the dragon, saved them from his fire, and led them here to safety. You give them hope."

"I do not know how to be a king." Bard said, looking away.

Halien reached up and turned his cheek to where he could look at her. "Bard, it's something you already know how to do. You lead your people, do what is right- what you feel is right- for your people and your kingdom, you make the tough decisions. You already have done that and more and the people love you for all that you have done. Take things in small strides and you will be a great king."

Bard looked at her and put a hand over hers. "Will you help me? I cannot do this alone."

Halien nodded. "I will Bard. You have my word."

Bard smiled and rested his forehead against hers. "Thank you."

The day progressed as Halien went back to the infirmary and Bard went to help with the supplies and shelter. Day turned into night and night turned quickly into day. At first light, when everyone was beginning to wake, Bard went to go check on Alfrid- who had been on watch. What he found was not to his pleasure. As Bard greeted the unexpected guests, Halien checked on the wounded and was pleased that many of them were almost fully recovered thanks to her magik. She made her rounds, then fed Frerin. As she finished feeding her son, Bard called to her with his thoughts and asked her to come to the town square.

Halien went to find Bard, after leaving Frerin with Sigrid and Tilda, and she found many of the elves she had grown up with standing in full armor along the buildings. She looked for the town square and when she found Bard, he was in a large tent, with her father.

"You asked for me, Bard?" Halien said, stepping into the tent.

Bard turned to look at her and nodded. "Aye, our guests have brought us food, but there is an important matter we need to discuss."

Halien nodded and came to stand beside him, stopping short as her father turned around.

"Hello, Halien." Thranduil said, greeting his daughter.

"Ada." Halien said.

"You are doing well?" the elven king asked as he took a seat.

"Aye. Thank you for your concern." Halien responded.

Bard got the impression that they were not on the best of terms.

"I hear that you had your child." Thranduil said, looking at her.

Halien nodded. "Aye, his name is Frerin, after his uncle."

"And where is the babe?" Thranduil asked, sitting in his chair.

"I left him with Bard's daughters, where I know he will be safe. I was not sure what Bard needed, so I wanted to make sure that I could help freely wherever I was needed."

"A wise decision, though I would like to see my grandson soon." Thranduil said, looking at her. "If that is alright?"

Halien looked at her father, surprised. "Of course, Ada. I would never keep him from you, not even after what has happened in our past. He is your grandson and he needs to know his family."

Thranduil was pleased with that answer and took a sip of wine.

"You said we had something important to discuss?" Halien said, looking up at Bard.

The Bowman nodded and began to explain the situation and he watched as Halien's face fell. "Halien, we have no other choice. You alone cannot guarantee that Thranduil gets what he wants, even as Queen of Erebor. That decision lays with Thorin."

"I know, Bard, but..." Halien said, looking at him with tears in her eyes. 'I do not know if we can get through to him and not risk war...'

Bard came to her and pulled her into his arms. "I'm going to speak with him, maybe talk some sense into him. I hope I can break through to him, but I may need your help." He looked down at her. "Will you come with me? He may have cast you aside, but he is still your husband and only you know him well enough to have a chance to break through."

"Thorin does not want me to return to the mountain. Bard, what if I can't even get through to him? They do not have anything more than the wall of Erebor to keep them alive and they do not have enough supplies to survive much longer. They stand no chance." Halien said, the tears slipping from her eyes.

Bard pulled her into his arms and held her. "I know, Halien."

"And that is why, my daughter, you are going to speak with him. I trust that you have not forgotten what it means to be an ambassador?" Thranduil said, looking at his daughter.

"No, Ada, I have not." Halien said, looking at her father. Then looking up at Bard, she asked, "When are you going to leave?"

"As soon as you are ready." Bard said.

"Before you leave, Halien, there is something I need to show you." Thranduil said, standing. "Follow me if you please."

Halien looked at him and then at Bard. 'Will you come with me?'

Bard nodded and followed Halien and Thranduil out of the tent to where the grand elk steed the elven king rode was stationed. As they approached the stables, Bard could see the elk and the horses. Beside him, Halien perked up and ran to one of the horses as it was led out of the stables.

"Torwen!" she called, running to her mare.

The mare's ears perked up and she ran to meet her rider.

"Torwen, girl, you're OK!" Halien said, throwing her arms around the mare's neck. "Oh, I missed you so much!"

The mare wrapped her head over the elf's shoulder, then danced around her in joy when she let go of her neck.

"It's good to see you, Torwen, I was so worried!" Halien said, laughing.

Bard watched as Halien mounted onto her horse, rubbing the mare's neck, her shoulders, her sides. He smiled as she laid down on the mare and hugged her.

"Bard, this is my mare, my companion, Torwen." Halien said, looking at him. "We got separated when Orcs attacked us near Rivendell on the other side of the Misty Moutains. She took care of the ponies that accompanied us on our quest. I had not thought to see her again, not until this was over. She has been through many things with me."

Bard bowed to the mare, seeing how much she clearly meant to Halien. The mare trotted forward and nudged him. Halien laughed and smiled at Bard.

"She likes you." she said, then looked at her father. "Thank you, Ada, for bringing her here. I was so worried after she disappeared with our ponies. I knew she was going to be fine, but you know what she means to me."

"She came to us shortly after you and your companions... left... the realm. She remembered her way it would seem." Thranduil said.

"She remembered her way home." Halien said, smiling at her father. "Truly, Ada, this means the world to me." She slid off of Torwen's back and went to embrace her father. She threw her arms around him and said, "No matter what has happened between us in the past, I have never stopped loving you. You are my father, my son's grandfather. I want you in my life, Ada. I want to start over."

Thranduil was taken aback and looked at Bard. Bard nodded, seeing that Thranduil was silently asking him if he should hug her back. Thranduil wrapped his arms around his daughter and rested his cheek on the top of her head. 'As do I, my dear girl.'

Halien smiled and stepped back. "Thank you, Ada." she said, then looked to Bard. "Should we get going, then Bard?"

Bard nodded and asked for a saddle to be brought for Torwen. When she was saddled and ready to go, Bard brought his horse around and mounted into the saddle. When they were ready, Bard and Halien set out towards Erebor.

"Balin, Halien and Bard are coming this way." Bilbo said, coming to the dwarf. "Should we tell Thorin?"

Balin looked up at him and sighed. "I don't know, Bilbo."

"I'll go speak with him." Dwalin offered. "Perhaps I can talk some sense into the lad."

Balin nodded and went to the wall, looking out over the plains as Bard and Halien approached.

'Balin, we need to speak with Thorin.' Halien sent to him.

'Dwalin is going to get him now, lass. Though I must warn you, he has not gotten better since you left.' Balin replied.

Halien pulled Torwen to a gentle halt as they neared the door that Thorin had instructed be fortified with the large stone debris that surrounded the keep's entrance. She looked up at the wall, seeing the worried faces of her friends, her kin, as they stared down at her and Bard, waiting.

'Bofur, where is Bilbo?' Halien called.

Bofur motioned for Bilbo to come over and Halien looked at the hobbit when he reached Bofur's side.

'Bilbo, do you still have it?' she asked.

Bilbo nodded, knowing that she was speaking of the Arkenstone. 'It's safe with me, Halien, don't you worry.'

'Do not let Thorin know you have it. I can sense him slipping further and further from us... He may begin to suspect that you- all of you- are betraying him, plotting against him. You seem to be the only one who can hold onto what's left of the Thorin we all know and if he finds out you have kept the Arkenstone from him, I fear he will do something horrible. Please, just be safe around him.'

Bilbo nodded and stepped aside as Thorin joined the others at the wall.

"What is it that the Dragonslayer and my traitorous wife want with me?" Thorin asked, glaring down smugly as he saw Halien next to Bard. "Why have you come to the mountain armed to the teeth for war?"

"Bard, I do not know if I can do this..." Halien said, ignoring the comment Thorin made.

Bard reached over and touched her hand. "Don't worry, I will handle this."

Halien nodded and looked up at her husband, barely recognizing him as the dragon sickness continued to strengthen its hold over him.

"We wish to discuss terms. Thranduil has brought his army to Dale and will attack the mountain if our arrangement is not met. He asks for what is rightfully his within the mountain- the jewels of starlight- and I only ask that you give Dale the aid and share of the mountain's wealth you promised us." Bard started, but stopped as Thorin scoffed.

"I will not part with a single gold coin." he said, smirking.

Halien couldn't believe her ears. "Thorin, we made a promise to the people of the Lake. You fought the dragon, but failed to kill it and it came to destroy Laketown. You promised them wealth and aid in rebuilding Dale. Bard killed the dragon, got his people out of the ruins of Laketown and led them to Dale. All he asks is for what we- what **_you_** \- promised him and his people."

"And what would you know of it?" Thorin retorted, glaring at her. "You betray me, take away my son, and gallivant away with this Man and you expect me to listen to anything you say?"

Halien ignored the pain in her chest as the man she loved again spat on everything they had together. Bard looked over at her, not sure what to say to her or to Thorin.

"I have not betrayed you, Thorin. Bard and I have done nothing but try to start a new life for the people of the Lake, something you and I both promised to do when this was over. I am keeping my part of the promise by healing his people, caring for our son- who I only took away because I feared you would do something that we would all regret- and doing what I can to try to fix what you have done. I am your wife, your queen. I love you with all my heart and you know that. I know somewhere, deep down passed that sickness rising within you that you know I would never do anything to betray you. What I have done, what I am doing is all I can do to protect you and our son, to ensure that our people and the people of Dale are safe and can start again. Why can't you see that?"

Thorin remained silent and Halien started to feel him coming back, if only for an inkling of a moment. She tried to take that chance to connect to his mind, push her way through the darkness of the dragon sickness and find the Thorin she knew, the Thorin she loved. She pushed through the corridors opening and leading a path through the darkness swirling in his mind and she found him- the Thorin that was locked away by this sickness.

'Thorin, can you hear me?' she called.

Thorin went silent and put a hand to his forehead, stumbling back for a moment. He looked down at Halien and the dwarves and Bilbo saw a glimpse of the old Thorin- the one they knew. 'Halien? By the ancestors, love, I am so sorry...'

Bard looked from Thorin to Halien and saw that Halien was smiling in a brief moment of relief as tears welled in her eyes.

'Oh, little king, I have missed you!' she called back.

'I've been lost, in this strange dark place...' he said, looking at her.

'It's the dragon sickness, little king. It's managed to snake its way into your mind, even through all your efforts to resist its allure.'

Thorin sighed and looked around at their companions. 'Can you connect all of us? I need to apologize...'

Halien nodded. She pushed the perimeter of the connection outwards and felt each of the dwarves and Bilbo join the connection. 'I know this is strange, everyone, but Thorin has a message.'

They all looked at their king, waiting.

'I am sorry, for anything that I have said and done. This darkness clouding my mind, addling my thoughts, I can't fight it for very long before it takes its hold again. I need you to keep me grounded. I cannot lose any of you. Please forgive me.' Thorin said.

The company smiled in a brief moment of relief, but then their faces fell when they felt Thorin slipping away again. The connection broke off and only Halien and Thorin remained connected for a few moments longer.

'Thorin, please fight this!' Halien begged.

Thorin looked helplessly at her. 'I love you, Halien. You are my greatest treasure. If I cannot overcome this, please take our son and start a new life. I cannot bear the thought of hurting you or Frerin. Please, if something happens, I need you to leave Erebor and take our son with you. Stay in Dale, help Bard rebuild.'

Halien shook her head as the darkness pressed against the dimming light of the Thorin she loved. 'Thorin, no, please just keep fighting!'

'I love you, Halien. I love our son. I could not have hoped for a greater life than the one you have given me. If it comes down to you leaving Erebor behind, give Reva to Balin for safe keeping. If I overcome this sickness, I will come for you and our son. I will find you. But if I can't, then you must move on.'

Bard watched as the tears slid down Halien's cheeks and heard her whisper Thorin's name just as the connection was severed and the sickness took hold again.

"Halien?"

The elf maiden turned Torwen around and urged her forward, heading back to Dale. Bard watched as she disappeared into the ruins, only turning back when Thorin summoned him to the broken gate to discuss the terms set before them.

Halien urged Torwen forward, riding hard back to Dale. When they reached the stables, she dismounted from the saddle and handed the reins to one of the stable hands that came with them from Laketown. She told Torwen not to worry and hurried to find Frerin. She needed to hold her son, the only thing that was left of the man she loved.

As she hurried through the ruined streets, trying to locate Sigrid and Tilda, Halien passed by her father's tent. Thranduil was standing just inside of the tent, looking over a map of the plains, when he looked up and saw Halien hurry passed. He could tell she was distraught. Since he saw her a few days earlier for the first time in decades, Thranduil was beginning to wonder if he should have been or could have been a better father to Halien and Legolas. Since their mother died, Thranduil tried to keep his emotions hidden away and ended up becoming a ruthless, cold ruler that showed no compassion for anyone and only did what was in the best interest of his people and his lands. Anything beyond that, he did not care. But seeing Halien and how happy she had become, how emotional- both good and bad- she was around him made him wonder if he could have done things differently. He took a sip of his wine and sighed. He wasn't ready to admit that what she had with Thorin was real, that it wasn't some farce. He couldn't, especially now that Tauriel was showing the same kind of affection towards Kili. He continued to look over the map and waited for Bard to return.

Halien hurried through the streets and finally found Sigrid and Tilda. Bane had gone off to help bring some supplies around, so it was just the girls looking after Frerin. Halien wiped her face and dried her eyes, trying not to show that she had been crying and she smiled at the girls in greeting. When they asked how things went, Halien told them they went as expected and that their father would return shortly.

Sigrid handed her Frerin when she asked to take him and told her he was beginning to get hungry. Halien thanked the girls for watching him and went to find a secluded spot to feed her son. Not long after, Bard came by to check on them and hugged his daughters before asking where Halien was.

"She went to feed Frerin." Sigrid said, pointing in the direction Halien went. "I think she went to the overlook near where the library used to be."

"Thank you, Sigrid."

"Da, Halien was crying. She tried to hide it, but we saw she was crying. Is she OK?" Tilda asked, looking up at her father.

"I do not know. Thorin is very sick and I think it's just really hard for Halien to deal with right now." Bard said. "I'll go check on her for you, though, if you're worried."

Tilda smiled. "We like Halien. We want her to be happy."

Bard kissed her forehead. "I'll make sure she knows that." he said with a smile. "Now I want you to find Bane and get some rest. I'll explain what's going to happen tomorrow later and we'll make the necessary preparations."

Sigrid and Tilda nodded and went to find their brother. Bard's smile faded as he looked off towards the library ruins and sighed. 'I hope she's alright.'


	11. Chapter 11

Halien pulled the blanket over Frerin's hands when he finished feeding and she laced her blouse back up. She looked down at her son as he fell asleep in her arms and she smiled.

"You're so much like your father..." she whispered and felt more tears slip down her cheeks. She looked up at the sky, seeing the sun as it began to slowly set and she couldn't help but let the tears fall freely down her cheeks.

"Halien?"

The elf maiden turned and saw Bard standing there. She turned away and sighed. "What did Thorin have to say?"

Bard came to stand next to her. "He will not give us what he promised and he is willing to risk war. Your father and I will march on the mountain at dawn."

Halien looked down at her son and felt as if more tears should have fallen, but it was like there was nothing more for her to shed at that moment. "Then all hope of peace at has been lost."

Bard looked at her. "No, there is still a chance at hope. I will speak to him again when we reach the gate tomorrow. We will try one last time to come to some kind of arrangement with him to avoid bloodshed."

Halien shook her head and looked up at him. "No, Bard. There is no talking to him now... Before I left, I felt a bit of the Thorin I knew pushing through, so I tried to make a connection to that light. I managed to pull that light through close enough to talk to him. It was my Thorin, Bard, he's still in there but he's slipping quickly. I do not think there will be anything left of him soon. I may have lost him forever already."

Bard didn't know what to say to her as she looked towards the setting sun. "Halien..."

"Bard, please, just whatever you do, don't let him suffer." she said, staring at the setting sun as it colored the sky red as blood. "War will come and we cannot stop it..."

Before Bard could respond, a messenger came up and informed them that they were requested in the Elven King's tent.

Halien nodded and followed the messenger to the tent, Bard silently following behind her. He wanted nothing more than to hold her, to comfort her, but he could not find the words or the courage to do so. She was so upset, but she seemed to have come to terms with the fact that she's losing Thorin and will never get him back.

When they arrived within the tent, Halien greeted her father and Gandalf, who was waiting as well. She stood to the side and listened as Bard informed them of what was discussed with Thorin and they began to form a plan of attack. Gandalf also informed them that Sauron was back and was building a massive army led by Azog the Defiler on one side and Azog's son, Bolg, on the other side. Bolg had gone to Gundabad to raise his army and they would be upon them soon. Darkness was quickly returning to the lands of Middle Earth.

Halien sat there with Frerin as the babe slept in his mother's arms. She didn't give any input to anything that was said, but heard every word as if it were said in a shroud of mist. She did not say a word until Bilbo suddenly appeared and presented them with the Arkenstone.

"Halien, I am sorry, but you were right. Thorin suspects that one of the others has the Arkenstone and he thinks they are going to betray them. For some reason he completely trusts me and does not think I have it. In fact, he is convinced that I am the only one on his side." Bilbo said, looking at her. "I thought perhaps if I gave you the Arkenstone, you could use it to bargain with him and get what was promised to you." he added, looking at Bard. "You have helped us in many ways, risked your safety to get us this far. Thorin covets the Arkenstone above all else now and if he sees that you have it, I'm certain he will do anything to get it back."

Halien sat there and listened to the responses from Bard and the others as they spoke with Bilbo about the Arkenstone. 'Bilbo, thank you.' she sent to the hobbit as she stood. 'Let's just hope this will be enough to stop war from starting.'

Bilbo watched as Halien left the tent, holding Frerin close to her. He looked to Bard. "Is she alright?"

Bard sighed. "I do not know. My daughters said she's been like that for hours, since she returned to Dale this afternoon. Whatever was said between her and Thorin when they connected has her rattled."

Bilbo looked in the direction Halien had gone. "Halien managed to connect all of us to her and Thorin earlier. She managed to grab onto a small bit of him that was left in the darkness in his mind and she extended the connection to the rest of us so that Thorin could apologize for everything that's happened. He asked us to forgive him, but then we felt him slipping back into the darkness." Bilbo explained. "I think the connection was severed from everyone else, but I remained connected and I heard what he told her before we lost him to the sickness again."

Bard looked at the hobbit. "What did he say?"

Bilbo looked at the bowman, then at Thranduil and Gandalf, then back to Bard as he said, "He told her that he loved her, that she was his greatest treasure. He said that if he could not overcome this, she needed to take Frerin and start a new life. He doesn't want to hurt either of them and told her to leave Erebor. He said that he loved her and their son and that he could not have hoped for a greater life than the one she gave him. If it came down to her leaving Erebor behind, Thorin told Halien to give Reva to Balin for safe keeping and that if he overcomes this sickness, he would come for her and Frerin. But if he can't, he told her to move on."

Bard looked out towards the direction Halien went. "Reva is the ring he gave her."

Bilbo nodded. "Halien loves Thorin more than anything in this world. The only thing she loves more than him is her son. She has never strayed from Thorin's side and has never done anything to hurt him. For her to leave Erebor to bring Frerin here and keep him away from Thorin has us all shocked. The things Thorin has said to her are cruel and unfair and we all know them not to be true. That sickness has clouded his mind so much that he cannot see the love that woman has for him." He looked over at Thranduil. "Your daughter has always fought hard to do what is right, sire. She has never once strayed from the path set before her. Thorin is not of the right mind, you must understand that. Use the Arkenstone to get what you are owed, bargain it and avoid bloodshed for her sake."

Thranduil considered the hobbit's words carefully and nodded. "Very well. You are quite brave to bring this here at risk of your own safety. I will give the dwarf king one last chance to concede. For the sake of my daughter only."

Bilbo thanked the elven king and went with Gandalf as they concluded the meeting. Bard bid the elven king a good night and went to find Halien.

Halien was laying on a pile of hay that had been set up in one of the store rooms used to keep the children safe and warm. The women were in the next room, connected to the children through a large archway. Bard sat next to her and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She had fallen asleep, holding a bundled Frerin close to her as the babe remained asleep. He pulled a blanket over her and sighed.

'What are we to do, Halien...?' he wondered silently to himself.

'We hope for the best.' she replied, stirring as Bard's mind connected to hers.

'I didn't mean to wake you.' he said, leaning back and stroking her hair.

Halien managed a small, but sad smile and looked at him sleepily. 'It's alright. I don't think I can get much sleep as it is.'

Bard stroked her cheek. 'Bilbo told me what Thorin said to you when the connection was broken between you and your companions. Somehow, he remained connected and heard what was said. I'm sorry for any pain that may have cause you.'

Halien looked at her son. 'I can't just let him go, Bard. Thorin is everything to me. Losing him would be like losing a part of myself. I can't just move on even if there's a slightest chance of saving him.'

'Thorin just wants what is best for you and Frerin.' Bard said, looking at her.

'I know, but it hurts to hear him tell me to move on and give Reva to Balin as if I am never going to see my Thorin again. I can't think like that, but his words haunt me.'

Bard leaned in closer and rolled onto his side. 'Then hope that he will pull through this. You found that light once before and even if it seemed dim, it was still there and there could still be a chance that you can pull him out of the darkness. Keep onto that thought and everything should be fine.'

Halien looked at him. 'Thank you, Bard.' she said with a smile.

Dawn came and Halien stood on the ramparts watching as Bard and her father advanced towards the mountain. Sigrid and Tilda stood next to her, watching their father. Frerin whimpered in his mother's arms, sensing something wrong.

"Hush, now, my son. It will be alright." Halien said, looking at him.

Tilda looked up at Halien. "Will Da be alright?"

Halien nodded. "I hope so."

Sigrid looked at Halien and sighed. "You want to join them, don't you?"

Halien nodded. "I should be there with them, but I must look after my son."

Sigrid came over to her. "Leave him here, with us, Halien. Go get ready. We'll look after him so that you can go and protect Thorin and your family."

Halien looked down at the girl. "Sigrid, I couldn't. I do not want to abandon my son if I should fall in battle."

Sigrid smiled. "Then promise to come back."

Halien looked over at the fields before Erebor and saw her family standing along the wall at the gates. She could hear their worry and fear in her head. Looking down at the girls, she sighed. "Look after him. If I should not return, please raise him like a brother. He needs a family and I do not trust anyone else."

Sigrid took Frerin from her and held him close. "We promise. Now go, Lady Halien. We'll be fine."

Halien nodded, kissed her son's forehead and hugged the girls before she went to change into armor. She changed out of her dress and into a set of silver armor- like her father's- that was left in his tent. She smiled as she realized that it was her mother's old armor and that her father must have expected her to join them or need the armor. She hooked the belt bearing Fenumë Dagnir around her waist and headed to the stables, mounted into Torwen's saddle and rode out to join her father and Bard.

"Halien, what are you doing?" Bard asked, staring at her as he saw her in a full set of silver armor.

"I cannot just stand by while my family fights over a treasure that holds such jealousy and hatred. I will not do nothing and besides, my magik will come in handy." she said, looking at him.

"But what of Frerin?"

"I left him with your daughters. They promised to look after him and asked me to join you." She said, then looked to her father as he spoke to her.

"I see that you found your mother's armor." he said, nodding in approval. "It suits you well, my dear."

"Thank you, Ada. But I wonder why you would bring it with you here." She said, raising an eyebrow.

Before Thranduil could answer, an arrow hit the stone in front of his elk. They all looked up at the gates of Erebor and saw Thorin with a bow drawn.

"I will put the next one between your eyes." he said, aiming at Thranduil.

"Thorin, stop this!" Halien called, urging Torwen a little further ahead of her father and Bard.

"You come here, as ready for battle as your treacherous father!" Thorin shouted, glaring at her.

"Thorin, I came to try and stop this! I will not stand by and watch as that treasure you are so desperately trying to protect destroys my family! Thorin, please!" She shouted back, trying to reason with him. "Thorin, please, listen to me. I am still your wife, still your queen, and whether you cast me out or not, I still love you. Please, for our son's sake, stop this at once!"

Thorin ignored her and raised the bow he held, aiming an arrow at her. "Go back to your father and the Dragonslayer. I will never welcome you back here." He shot the arrow towards her, but Halien drew Fenumë Dagnir and blocked the arrow swiftly, causing it to become embedded deeply into the ground next to her.

"Halien, are you alright?" Bard asked.

"Aye, do not worry about me. There is nothing left for me to reach with that shell of what once was my husband. The Thorin I knew is gone. There is no more reasoning with him." She said, looking at him as she fought back her tears.

Bard looked up at the gate and glared at the dwarven king. The other dwarves looked at him, disturbed that their king would so quickly turn on his queen. Beside him, Thranduil began to speak to the dwarves.

"We have come to tell you the payment of your debt has been offered and accepted."

Thorin looked at him. "What payment? I gave you nothing! You have nothing!"

Bard reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the Arkenstone. "We have this."

Thorin's face fell and he lowered the bow as Kili called them thieves and demanded to know how they came by it before telling them it belongs to the king.

"And the king may have it. With our good will." Bard replied, tucking the Arkenstone back into his coat pocket. "But first, he must honor his word."

Thorin began to tell the other dwarves that it was a ruse, a trick, a lie, that the Arkenstone was still within the mountain.

"It's not a trick." Bilbo said, coming forward. "The stone is real. I gave it to them."

The dwarves all turned to look at the hobbit.

"You?" Thorin asked, feeling utterly betrayed by the one person he felt he could trust over everyone else.

Bilbo nodded. "I took it as my fourteenth share."

"You mean to steal from me?"

Bilbo shook his head. "Steal from you? No. I may be a burglar, but I'd like to think I'm an honest one. I'm willing to let it stand against my claim."

"Your claim?" Thorin said, scoffing at that. "Your claim... You have no claim over it, you miserable rat!" He started to advance towards him.

"I was going to give it you." Bilbo said. "Many times I wanted to, but-"

"But what, thief?" Thorin asked, glaring at him.

"You are changed, Thorin." Bilbo said. "The dwarf I met in Bag End would never have gone back on his word, would never doubt the loyalty of his kin!"

"Do not speak to me of loyalty!" Thorin retorted. "Throw him from the rampart!" he demanded, looking at the company. When they would not heed his command, Thorin tried to do it himself and that was when the dwarves had had enough and pulled Bilbo free from Thorin's grasp. "Curse you! Curse you and the wizard that brought you into this company!"  
"Thorin, no!" Halien cried.

"You will not harm my burglar!" Gandalf shouted as he finally joined them. "Please, don't damage him! Return him to me!"

Thorin stared at Gandalf as he came forward.

"You're not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain, are you Thorin, son of Thrain?"

Thorin let Bilbo go and glared down at Gandalf. "Never again will I have dealings with wizards or Shire rats!" he spat.

Halien dismounted from Torwen and ran to meet Bilbo as Bofur helped him get to the rope he had used the night before and climbed down the wall. "Are you alright, Bilbo?"

Bilbo nodded and hugged Halien as she embraced him. Behind them, Bard asked if they were resolved, the return of the Arkenstone for what was promised. Halien and Bilbo hurried over to them. Halien looked at Thorin as Bard asked him for his answer.

"Will you have peace? Or war?" Bard asked, fearing the answer that was sure to come.

Halien watched as Thorin looked towards the horizon as a raven landed on the rampart.

"I will have war." he said.

Halien heard the marching of an army and turned to look at the horizon as Gandalf said, "Ironfoot." Her chest tightened and knew that he spoke of Dain Ironfoot, lord of the dwarves in the Iron Hills and Thorin's cousin. He was the only other dwarf next to Thorin, Fili, and Kili who could claim the throne of Durin and rule over Erebor should they all fall.

Thranduil commanded the elven army to about face and they all turned, preparing to face the Iron Hills army. Gandalf explained to Bilbo who Dain Ironfoot was and that he always found Thorin the more reasonable of the two.

"Good morning!" Dain called. "How are we all?" His boar came to a stop, his army as well behind him. "I have a wee proposition, if you wouldn't mind giving me a few more licks of your time?" He looked at the elves and Men. "Would you consider just sodding off?!" he shouted, scaring some of the Men. "All of you, right now!"

"Stand fast!" Bard ordered, trying to calm his men.

"Come now, Lord Dain." Gandalf said, hoping to reason with the dwarf lord.

"Gandalf the Grey." Dain said, not to happy to see the wizard. "Tell this rabble to leave, or I'll water the ground with their blood!"

Halien pushed her way through to reach Gandalf and she looked at Dain. "Lord Dain Ironfoot, keeper of the Iron Hills. I graciously beg your forgiveness, but we cannot and will not adhere to your request." she called, bowing to the dwarf lord.

"And who are you, lassie? An elf wench who thinks she can stand up to me?" Dain retorted, laughing.

Halien ignored the comment and stood upright, taking on her regal disposition. "I am Halien, wife of Thorin Oakenshield and mother to his son, Frerin II. As Queen of Erebor, by marriage to your cousin, I humbly ask that you refrain from hurting my family or my people and that we may resolve this peacefully."

Dain started to laugh. "You? Queen of Erebor? An elf? Ha! Is this a joke?"

Halien ignored the disrepect. "I understand that you could not possibly understand, as my own father had not, but I assure you that I speak the truth. I was the ambassador of my people to Erebor many years ago, before the dragon came, and I did my duties well. Now, I will ask you once more, as the wife of the King under the Mountain, please do not cause any bloodshed. A promise was made and it must be kept."

Gandalf walked forward. "There is no need for war between Dwarves, Men, and Elves. A legion of Orc marches on the mountain. Stand your army down."

"I will not stand down before any Elf, not even one who would make such claims to be Queen of Erebor!" Dain replied. "Least not this faithless, woodland sprite!" he added, gesturing towards Thranduil. "He wishes nothing but ill upon my people. If he chooses to stand between me and my kin, I'll split his pretty head open! See if he's still smirking then!"

"He's clearly mad." Thranduil said, smirking indeed. "Like his cousin."

"You hear that lads? Let's give these bastards a good hammering!" Dain called to his men, circling back towards his men.

As the elves readied themselves, the ground began to shake and large worm-like beasts burst forth from the ground. Halien stared in fear as the disappeared back into the ground and hordes of Orcs came flooding from the holes left behind the worms.

"No..."

Dain and his men moved into position and charged at the onslaught of Orcs. Halien looked at her father and gaped at him as he did nothing. She ran to her father and looked at him.

"Father, why won't you help them?" she demanded.

Thranduil looked from her to the dwarves of the Iron Hills, the sons of Durin, as they charged into their deaths.

"Father!"

When he would not answer, she whistled for Torwen. She mounted up into the saddle and looked at the dwarves. "If you will do nothing, as you did before the dragon came for the mountain, then once again I will honor the alliance you forsook so long ago." Halien looked at her father. "I thought perhaps you had changed, Ada, but it would seem that I was wrong." She urged her mare forward.

"Halien, wait!" Bard called to her, catching up to her before she left ally lines. "You cannot go alone!"

Halien looked at him. "What am I to do then, Bard? I will not let my family or my people be slaughtered by Orcs!"

Behind them, Thranduil made the decision to take action and ordered his men to ready themselves.

Halien smiled. "Thank you, Ada."

Thranduil nodded. "I do this for you and for my grandson and the sake of my people. Nothing more."

Halien nodded and charged forward. Bard and the others charged with them, but he and the Men were cut off from Halien and the elves and dwarves. Halien watched as they made for Dale, trying to reach the women, children, and wounded. She turned and watched Dain's boar fall to a spear. As she tried to reach him, an Orc cut down Torwen and Halien was thrown from the saddle. She called to her mare, but it was no use. The mare she had grown up with, that she had bonded with beyond measure, was dead.

Halien fought back her tears and saw her father rushing past, heading towards Dale. She heard Bard calling for her so she summoned her magik and moved a mound of earth up beneath her and she forced it forward, guiding her to the ramparts of Dale. She leaped off the mound of earth, letting it crumble beneath her as she landed on the stone wall of the ramparts. She searched for Bard, for his children and her son, cutting her way through the Orcs. She came around the bend of a street and saw Bard flying down the street towards a troll that was about to attack his children and Frerin. She ran to him as he took down the troll and embraced his children.

"Halien!" Tilda called, running to her.

Halien embraced the girl and held her close. "Thank the ancestors you're safe!" She looked up as Sigrid, Bane, and Bard came to join them. Halien hugged them and looked down at her son who had begun to cry. She reached out to him and told him everything was going to be alright, that she was safe. He seemed to calm down as soon as she reached out to him and opened his eyes to look at her. She looked up at Sigrid and asked how he was doing.

"He misses his mother, but he is fine otherwise. He's a brave lad, for one so little." Sigrid said, smiling. "We've kept him safe, like I promised."

Halien smiled. "Thank you, Sigrid." She looked up as more Orcs came towards them, but she used the ice from the falling snow and shot shards of ice at the Orcs. She looked at Bard. "They need to get somewhere safe, somewhere easy to fortify."

Bard looked at her and nodded, then turned to his son. "Get the women and children to the great hall. Locks the doors, barricade them, and do not come out for anything or anyone but me. Do you understand?"

Bane nodded and took off with his sisters, Frerin, and Alfrid- who was asked to go with them. Bard looked at Halien.

"We need to fight them back. For our children's sake."

Halien nodded and they gathered the men. They began their attack against the Orcs and fought them back. The elves soon joined them and they were able to quickly overrun the Orcs within Dale and force their retreat. Halien went to find Gandalf and she found him and Bilbo on the northern side ramparts. As she came to join them, Legolas returned with Tauriel and news. She hurried over as her brother explained that Azog the Defiler had sent his son, Bolg, to Gundabad to gather the Orcs there and they were nearly upon them.

"They're coming from the north?" Halien asked, looking at her brother.

He nodded. Halien looked in that direction and saw Raven Hill in the sunlight. Her heart fell and she turned to look at Gandalf.

'Mithrandir, Thorin is up there!'

Gandalf turned and looked at her. "Halien..."

"I must go."

Bard came over and watched her starting to leave. "Halien, where are you going?"

"Thorin is up there, on Raven Hill, and he does not know what is coming for him. I must go." Halien, then hugged him. "Look after my son, if I don't return." Before anyone could stop her, she ran passed the people of Dale and passed her father as he gathered his men.


	12. Chapter 12

Halien ran as hard as she could, trying to reach the top of Raven Hill. As she got closer and closer to the top, she could hear Thorin and ran until she reached him.

"Thorin!" she called as she looked down from the top of the stairs she stood on.

"Halien, what are you doing here?" he asked, turning.

She hurried down the stairs towards him, then embraced him. "You're back..." she said and kissed him, happy to have the man she loved back in the light of day. She looked up and saw Bilbo come over to them. "Bilbo, where did you come from? Weren't you just with Gandalf?"

"I came to help you warn them." He said. "There is a second army of Orcs coming from Gundabad. They're nearly on top of us."

Halien looked at the tower behind them. "Oh, no..."

They turned to look and saw Azog dragging Fili to the edge of the tower.

"Fili, no!"

The Pale Orc taunted Thorin in the Orcish tongue and told him the line of Durin ends starting with Fili, then the brother then him. Thorin, Dwalin, Halien, and Bilbo were helpless as they watched Azog the Defiler impale Fili and let him fall some twenty or so feet below to the icy ground.

"Fili!" Halien cried, leaving Thorin to try and reach her nephew, hoping that she might save him.

"Halien, wait!" Thorin called, trying to stop her.

Halien ignored him and was lucky that the Orcs were only trying to lure them in closer and didn't care that they were there. She dropped to her knees and tried to call to Fili.

'Please, Fili, don't leave us!' she called, trying to reach him. It was too late. There was nothing left for her to say. As she looked up, she saw Kili rush past her and up the stairs after Azog.

"Kili, wait!" She said and got up to hurry after him.

'Halien, where are you going?' Thorin called to her.

'I'll look after Kili. You have to stop the Gundabad Orcs from advancing. Cut them off, little king. I'll be alright.' Halien sent back to him and hurried after Kili.

While Thorin, Dwalin, and Bilbo prepared for the arrival of the Gundabad Orcs, Halien called for Kili. She called several times, then heard another calling for him. She followed the voice and found Tauriel searching the halls of the tower as well.

"Tauriel?"

"Halien! Have you seen Kili?"

Halien shook her head. "He rushed off after Azog killed Fili. I need to find him, to protect him. I think Azog is trying to kill off the line of Durin and he started with Fili. I fear Kili may be next."

Tauriel's eyes widened. "Then we must hurry."

Halien nodded and she and Tauriel called for Kili, searching through the halls. They searched until they heard Kili call in response for Tauriel. They ran towards his voice only to find him fighting off a small number of Orcs.

"Kili, look out!" Halien cried, throwing a stone shard at one of the Orcs.

They defeated all of the Orcs, but then Bolg came out from the shadows and started to attack them. They tried to fend off his attacks, but to no avail. Halien was thrown against the rock face while Tauriel was thrown against the ground, sliding dangerously close to the edge. Halien and Tauriel watched in horror as Bolg drove the spiked end of his maul into Kili's chest.

"Kili!"

Kili drew his last breaths and went limp, dropping to the ground as Bolg let go of him and went after Tauriel. Tauriel tried to throw Bolg over the edge, but she went down with him.

Halien forced herself to get up and she went to check on Tauriel and saw her below on the rocks. She was alive and breathing.

'Tauriel, hold on!' she called.

'No, mellon. Find your husband. Find Thorin and keep him safe.' Tauriel called back. 'I will be alright.'

Halien nodded and went to find Thorin, searching everywhere and calling for him. She found him fighting Azog and it was a losing battle. The Pale Orc had him pinned down and he looked as if he was too far for Halien reach him before she lost him. She ran as hard as she could and looked for a way to safely cross the frozen river in order to try and save Thorin. She was stopped by a few Orcs, but she cut them down quickly and hurried to reach Thorin. She saw him again just as he drove Orcrist into Azog, finally slaying the monster. Halien watched as Thorin stood, victorious, and turned to look out over the battlefield.

Rejoicing, Halien started towards him, but quickly picked up her pace and ran to him as he fell to the icy ground. "Thorin!"

She held the dwarven king, her husband, in her arms as Bilbo came to their side. They tried to keep him alive, but after he thanked Bilbo for helping him along their quest and told him how much he treasured the true friendship they had built, the King under the Mountain looked to his wife and said, "Halien, forgive me, my love. It would seem that I cannot uphold my promise to you." he struggled to say.

Halien shook her head, the tears already slipping down her cheeks. "No, little king, you will live and you will see your son grow up to be a great man."

Thorin shook his head and reached up to touch her cheek. "Halien, you have given me a life I never thought possible, a love I never knew existed and an heir that will live on for me. I am sorry that I ever doubted you, ever tried to hurt you or our son. Forgive me..."

Halien leaned into his hand. "Thorin, please... Don't leave me... I only just got you back..."

Thorin tried to smile and breathed in raggedly. "I know, I am so sorry... I fear I will not see Frerin grow to be the man I know he will be... I need you to teach him how to be strong, how to fight for what he believes in... Love him enough for both of us..."

"Thorin, please, hold on..." she begged, placing her hands over his wound. She summoned her healing magik, hoping it would be enough to save him.

"Halien... Please take care of Frerin..." Thorin said, looking at her. "I love you so much and I am so sorry..."

Halien looked at him and felt her tears pouring from her eyes. "Thorin, no..." She leaned down and kissed him. "Please, I love you... Don't leave me..."

Thorin did not answer her and she looked at him, seeing the light leaving his eyes.

"No, Thorin, please!" She called out to him and placed her hands over his wound once more.

She tried to use her healing magik to save her husband, to heal the wound Azog dealt him, but it was too deep and she reached him too late. Halien called to her husband as she ignored the fountains of tears that rushed down her cheeks as she summoned every ounce of magik that she could muster and used the strongest spell she knew, one that she had barely mastered, to try and heal him. A brilliant white and blue light enveloped her and spread out, erupting from atop Raven Hill, the light of the aura radiating from Halien as she called upon her ancestors and Durin to heal Thorin Oakenshield, begging that he might live. The light glowed like the sun and the moon and the stars all at once and it was nothing Bilbo had ever seen before. But Halien soon found that her magik was just not strong enough to bring back the dead and her love alone could not save him. Halien looked down upon her husband, her lover, her life and wept.

She wept and wept, holding Thorin in her arms. The other dwarves of their company, save Fili and Kili, had joined them and stood in sorrow around her as she wept for the only person she loved more than her son. They hung their heads in sadness and remained silent as Halien's cries echoed through the frozen mount. At some point, the horns of Dale could be heard as they signaled the end of the battle and their survival, and victory.

The dwarves of Erebor tried to get Halien to stand, but she would not leave Thorin's side. Eventually, Dain and some of his men came to claim Fili, Kili, and Thorin's bodies. When they began to haul them away, to prepare them for burial, she got to her feet and followed them down to the streets of Dale. Bard came to greet them, but he saw Dain Ironfoot leading his men in somberness to the great hall. He saw the wagon that carried the bodies of Fili, Kili, and Thorin and looked up to see Halien following them. He wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but she had a sad aura about her that radiated off her. He watched in silence as she followed the dwarves- her face ashen and stained with tears- to the great hall where they prepared them for the burial ceremony.

The funeral procession led down from Dale to the Hall of the Kings, where it had been decided that Thorin was to be buried and his sword- the legendary Goblin Cleaver, Orcrist- placed upon his tomb to warn against Orcs or Goblins. Everyone came to the funeral, giving their condolences to Halien and the dwarves. Halien had lost the only person she had ever given everything to, the one person who had truly accepted her and never turned her away.

Halien stood in silence as she watched them place Thorin's body into the stone casket. As the dwarvish prayers were said, she remembered a song she had sung for her mother shortly after she learned of her passing. She felt tears brew in her eyes as she began to sing the lament.

"Uich gwennen na 'wanath ah na dhín. An uich gwennen na ringyrn ambar hen. Boe naid bain gwannathar, Boe cuil ban firitha. Boe naer gwannathach…" she sang in elvish, her voice never shaking in spite of her own sorrow and grief. She looked at the casket as the lid was lowered, seeing a final glimpse of her husband before his stone likeness replaced him. She repeated the lament again, but in the Common Tongue. "You are not bound to loss and silence. For you are not bound to the circles of this world. All things must pass away, All life is doomed to fade. Sorrowing you must go…"

Bard and the others all looked at her, watching as she sang to her husband, not knowing if he would hear her from beyond. Bard wanted nothing more than to run to her side, to comfort her, but her sadness was overwhelming and he had never seen anyone so distraught or sorrowful in his life. It broke her heart to see her like this.

Eventually the procession ended and everyone began to clear out, but Bard looked at Halien as he stopped next to her. "Halien, I'm so sorry..." he said. He started to reach out to touch her comfortingly, but the look of emptiness, grief, loneliness, and loss of hope and faith radiated in her eyes, forcing him to let his hand fall to his side and leave her alone to grieve.

As the days went by, while Halien grieved alone in the tomb, Frerin was cared for by some of the women in Dale, a few of them acting as a wet nurse. After nearly a month, though, Bard brought Frerin with him and went to Erebor and asked Dain Ironfoot, the current King under the Mountain- and cousin of Thorin and the only descendant of Durin old enough to take the throne of Erebor- if he could see Halien.

"You can see her, aye, but I must warn you that she has not slept or ate in almost as long as she has mourned." Dain said, leading Bard to the tomb of Thorin Oakenshield. Inside, they found Halien, garbed in black with her star light hair and pale skin the only contrasts against her mourning clothes.

Bard went up to her and held her as she stared at the tomb of her king. Eventually, Halien looked at him. "Bard, what am I to do? Without Thorin, I feel like I am nothing..."

Bard looked at her. "Thorin is never going to come back, but a part of him still lives within you, your son, and all those who had accompanied you and Thorin on the quest to retake the mountain. He lives on in so many others who look to him as an example of what to fight for, to strive to be."

Halien found wisdom in his words and looked behind her as her companions, each of the dwarves save Thorin and his nephews- her nephews- Fili and Kili, came into the chamber and smiled at her.

"Come back into the light of day, lass." Bofur asked, looking at the others. "We have all grieved for Thorin and we want you to be happy. We know that you will never forget Thorin, nor will anyone else, we need you to rejoin the world and rebuild anew as you promised. Carry out that promise for Thorin, in his memory."

Halien saw that her time grieving was over and she needed to once more be a part of the world. She took her son from Bard and looked down at him. "My dear sweet boy..." She kissed his forehead, happy to see him well and asleep. She looked up at Bard and asked, "Where is Dain?"

"I am here, lassie." he said, coming into the tomb.

"Dain, you have been named King under the Mountain as Thorin is dead, Fili and Kili with him, and my son not being of age to assume his father's throne. I am eternally grateful for you letting me mourn as you have. I must ask, though, that while my son is the rightful heir to the throne of the Mountain, he be treated with the same respect his father would have received. I do not expect you to give up the throne once my son is of age, but please, do not cast him aside."

Dain nodded. "I promise this, lassie: when Frerin is of age, he may take up a position as a noble in the halls of Erebor and act as an advisor to me. He is family and blood, a true son of Durin. He will be welcomed in these halls as you are." Dain said. "I would also like to offer you this: I will give you the title of Queen Regent, which allows you to still hold sway over what goes on with Erebor until another queen rises. When another queen is chosen- when I find a wife to bear me an heir and to share my life with as Thorin did in you- or you find another husband- should you ever find another to love as you did Thorin- I do respectfully ask that you step down as queen. I would like you to remain a Lady of Erebor, though. Thorin was a great man and you have proven yourself to be a great woman. Elf or no, you have a home here in Erebor whenever you like."

Halien smiled, for the first time in weeks. "Thank you, Dain. I hope that I can be a voice of reason where Thorin cannot."

Looking back at her husband's tomb once more, Halien Greenleaf finally left Erebor after weeks of mourning and returned with her son and Bard to Dale, bidding her companions farewell until the next time they met.

A few years had gone by and Dale was rebuilt and once more functioning as the center of trade. Merchants returned to sell their wares and the people of the Lake had taken up permanent residence within the city. Bard had been named King of Dale, taking his position as the ruler of the city due to his relation to Girion, the last king, and his assumed role as the Master of the Lake. Bard had asked Halien to stay at court with him, to help him pull Dale from the ashes and help him reestablish its laws and way of life. Halien agreed and lived with Bard and his family in the castle. After some time, Frerin had grown older and when he began to hear the stories of his father, he asked Halien to tell him more about the man he never knew.

Frerin had grown to see Bard as his father, which saddened and made Halien very happy at the same time. Halien told her son of his father, Thorin Oakenshield, and the great man he was. Frerin asked what Bard was to them then, if not his father, and Halien told him that Bard was more than a friend to them, he was family. She told him that Bard had taken them in and helped her to raise her him. Halien told Frerin that Bard had stepped up and acted as his father in place of Thorin. Frerin understood, as young as he was, and was overjoyed when Bard later asked his mother to marry him. Halien had realized that she had grown to love Bard as much as she had Thorin and accepted. It had been long enough since Thorin's death that she did not feel like she was betraying the man she loved, but rather moving on and living her life in his memory.

Bard knew that Halien's heart would always lay at rest with Thorin, but he loved her none the less and raised Frerin as his own. Halien was glad to finally be finding happiness once more and wouldn't have chosen anyone else but Bard to find that happiness in. When he came of age, Frerin went to live in Erebor with his father's cousin, Dain Ironfoot asked to serve at his side. Dain granted him a station, naming him a Lord of Erebor as he promised Halien years before. Frerin was satisfied with that and lived in Erebor, serving his father's cousin. Later, Halien and Bard were blessed with twin boys and a daughter- Fili II and Kili II and their sister, Melian. Their eldest brother, Bain, was to succeed their father upon his death. They have lived in Dale ever since.

 _ **Note from the author: I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. JRR Tolkien is one of my all time favorite authors and I love the story of the Hobbit. Tolkien is an inspiration to so many, including myself. I do have a sequel of sorts in the works called A New Dawn in Dale that follows Halien's life as she lives in Dale and allows herself to fall in love again. The last paragraph of this chapter kind of gives you an idea of what to expect, but if you liked this story and want more, then I will most definitely start posting A New Dawn in Dale. Thanks for reading! ~Ladyinquisitor93  
**_


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